Enterprise Conducts Underway Replenishment, Remains On Station

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alex R. Forster, USS Enterprise Public Affairs

USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors and Marines aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65) loaded 128 pallets of mail during an underway replenishment (UNREP) with the fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8) March 24.

The mail, which totaled more than 35,000 lbs, came on the ship with hundreds of pallets of essential parts and supplies.

"It is sometimes challenging to efficiently navigate a logistics pipeline that spans several continents, but our fantastic team of professionals works feverishly each and every day to ensure that mail from loved ones arrives on this storied warship as quickly as possible," said Cmdr. Patrick O'Connor, USS Enterprise supply officer. "It is extremely rewarding to see the smiles on the faces of our great Sailors and Marines when they receive something from home."

More than 350 Sailors from departments throughout the ship worked for more than five hours to get the mail and supplies on board the ship and stored.

Two MH-60S Knight Hawk helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22, embarked aboard Arctic, flew continuously between the two ships to transport the pallets of mail and supplies, while the bridge teams of both ships maintained proper course, speed and lateral separation to allow the UNREP teams to transfer 584,000 gallons of aviation fuel.

"This is the largest amount of mail I've ever seen in my time here," said Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Carl W. Sparks, USS Enterprise post office.

After the mail was brought aboard, each division sent Sailors to help sort the mountain of mail in the hangar bay in order to get it distributed quickly.

"I really enjoy helping sort the mail out," said Personnel Specialist 3rd Class (SW/AW) Cynthia Cordero, USS Enterprise transfer office. "It's nice to know that once this mail is sorted that it's going to make a bunch of people happy."

Until 1980, each military service and government agency managed its own mail program. In 1980, the Department of Defense designated the secretary of the Army as the single military mail manager. The Military Postal Service Agency (MPSA) was created to perform this task. MPSA is required to adhere to United States Postal Service (USPS) rules, federal laws, and various international laws and agreements for movement of military mail into over 85 countries.

"Working in the post office gives me a firsthand look at how mail can affect the crew," said Sparks. "It makes me feel good when we get to pass out mail."

For the mail to get to the ship, it goes through many stages of long-distance travel and is always secured by federal laws governing movement, safety and costs.

Letters or packages mailed from the U.S travel through the Fleet Post Office in New York City. The bulk of the mail then transfers via AMC flights through Rota, Rome, Naples, Sigonella, Souda Bay, and Bahrain. Once in Bahrain, the mail is either sent to the ship by aircraft or loaded weekly to Arctic for transfer during UNREPs.

"Our mail is being protected and cared for by the skilled hands of the U.S. Postal Service every step of the way," said Scholl during a recent announcement. "Contrary to rumors that have said our mail has been damaged, it is on the way."

For more information about the MPSA or how the USPS supports deployed service members visit www.mpsa.mil or www.usps.com/supportingourtroops

Enterprise is conducting close-air missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.