Nimitz News

Nimitz Family and Friends,

Monday 13 September, the Nimitz held a totally successful Friends and Family Day Cruise. We had approximately 2,600 guests that were able to spend the day with us and see the GREAT job this crew does, every day. Family and Friends Day required a lot of set up, but the crew was very happy to put on the best Family Day event ever! We are GLAD you came with us to sea for the day!

On Tuesday 14 September, the last advancement exam of this cycle took place for over 650 prospective Third Class Petty Officers. It started at 0700 and I saw hundreds of bright faces taking the exam. We used nearly every seat in the forward and aft mess decks. The CPO mess was also filled with exam takers. We expect to have the results back in mid to late November and I look forward to advancing hundreds of new Petty Officers as soon as the results are in.

During the week, we continued to perform maintenance throughout the ship. Our home is in an unforgiving industrial environment of salt water, wind, and the normal events such as jet aircraft catapults and arrested landings are tough on all of our equipment. The current number of mechanical problems is remarkably small – but as we fix the few problems, other systems break and we always have things to work on. Cleanliness is also a constant project. Our current crew size is about 3,400 Sailors. Comfortable temperatures and clean berthing compartments and heads don’t happen naturally, but we work hard to keep a good environment throughout the ship.

On 20 September, we will get underway for Fleet Replacement Squadron Carrier Qualification training. We call it FRS CQ. We have about 50 new pilots that need day and night landings aboard Nimitz. We are also doing Super Hornet testing and have a requirement of about 750 arrested landings for the week. We have numerous squadron personnel that will join us for the week, so our total population will go up to about 3,800. When “Our Air Wing - CVW-11” joins us in late October, we will be full with 5,000 Sailors aboard. We are looking forward to having the full team back together.

As we get back up to a normal operational tempo, I would like to advertise the Family Support Group, Team Nimitz. Due to the PIA maintenance period, Team Nimitz went into a standby mode. Now, that we are a full up Carrier again, Team Nimitz is also coming back up to full speed. We expect to reconvene meetings at Murphy Canyon Chapel very soon. Any Nimitz spouses that would like to help with Team Nimitz, please email or call CMC. We will welcome you to the Team!

I would like to take this opportunity to advertise and most of all send huge thanks to a very special group of people. Nimitz is blessed to have four Outstanding Ombudsman that help the command support any family situation, 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. Our Ombudsman are resource experts and they help Nimitz families every day. The word dedication does not do justice to our Nimitz Ombudsman and their efforts to support Nimitz families. To the Ombudsman, I would publicly like to say Thank You for your super human dedication and selfless support of Nimitz families.

With Greatest Respect,

Captain Bob Gilman

CO, USS Nimitz