TR Conducts Shipwide Readiness Exercise for Damage Control

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Austin Rooney, USS Theodore Roosevelt Public Affairs

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) completed its second readiness exercise Dec. 10, consisting of damage control (DC) olympics, damage control jeopardy, and a general quarters drill as a means to prepare Sailors for operational conditions during the ship's last year of refueling complex overhaul.

The damage control training exercises aimed to challenge Sailors physically and mentally, and divided the ship into teams by department to compete against each other for the grand prize.

"The objective here is to have good training, but also to have fun," said Chief Warrant Officer Noel Genao, TR's damage control assistant, and the organizer for the training event. "Having a competition encourages departments to get excited and to participate - it shows them that DC is not just for the in-port emergency team, it's for everyone."

The event was split into five main activities, a pipe patching contest, a P-100 pump operating contest, RAM fan operating contest, knowledge exam, and a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) relay race with a dummy carry. Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman (AW) Andrew Bustos, who competed in the Olympics for Air Department, said the SCBA relay was the most difficult event of the day.

"It was a fun and challenging experience," said Bustos. "I think it helped me out, and I'm still learning as I go. Hooyah!"

In addition to physical events, there was also a written Level of Knowledge test, which covered first aid and basic medical knowledge. Lt. Cmdr. Charlene Ohliger, the ship's nurse and test administrator, said the test the Sailors took will eventually be mandatory for the entire ship.

"[The Sailors who took it today] did well, but there is still a lot of room for improvement," said Ohliger. "This test at least helped us figure out what people are having a hard time understanding, and what we need to focus our training on."

Ohliger said she believes the test was helpful to the crew, and her goal is to have everyone aboard able to demonstrate a basic level of medical knowledge.

"I'm confident we'll get there," said Ohliger. "We have a lot of work to do, but I know we'll get there."

The DC Olympics trophy went to Combat Systems Department, led by Electronics Technician 2nd Class (SW/EXW) John Meisner, who earned 512 points in the five challenges.

To finish off the night, TR held a general quarters drill involving all 10 repair lockers aboard the ship.

With TR less than one year from leaving the shipyard to return to operation status, Genao said damage control training is more important than ever to get the crew back into an operational mindset.

"This is a tremendous help in getting the crew ready to fight the ship," said Genao. "We're not there yet, but we're on the right road. I think we're doing better than most ships at this stage in the yard period, and I have confidence that we'll be ready when we leave here."