Nimitz News

Your Sailors have had a very productive four days at sea and we are making good progress on all fronts. We got started Thursday with a smooth and professional underway following our month-long inport period. During the time at North Island, the crew had an opportunity to take some well-earned leave, and we completed several maintenance projects on the ship including new decking in our aft mess decks, new non-skid in hangar bay one and on aircraft elevators one and three, a significant Global Broadcast System install, and some maintenance in the propulsion spaces. It was good to finish all that inport work and get back to sea.

Air Wing ELEVEN is not with us this time out as they are completing their strike and air warfare training in Fallon, Nevada. NIMITZ has a very different and quieter atmosphere without our air wing brethren aboard, but there is still a great deal of work going on. The focus of this underway period is to finish preparations and undergo a propulsion plant examination. The Reactor guys are really working hard (as usual) checking and double checking their systems and processes so we can excel in typical NIMITZ fashion. I’m confident that we’ll do just fine. Air Department is busy doing periodic maintenance on all their gear. The Weapons Department is also doing maintenance preparing for deployment and our cruise loadout, and conducting small arms training for our force protection watchstanders. The Engineers and Combat Systems folks are working on all their gear to keep the ship in peak condition, the Training organization is running drills and the damage control teams are all competing in a Damage Control Olympics. So far the competition has been intense as all the Repair Lockers compete to see who is the very best.

We’ve been able to take advantage of air services and the Operations folks have been doing well in detect, track, and engagement training with the ships self-defense systems, as well as doing some good work on the Range Electronic Warfare Simulator. The Deck and Navigation Departments are keeping us seamanlike and shipshape, and as always, all the great Sailors in the Supply Department are working hard getting ready for their big inspection and taking care of the crew. Whether it’s providing repair parts or food or services for the crew, Supply probably does more for everyone’s well-being on a day-to-day basis than anyone. Today we had brunch on the mess decks and the wardroom, and most folks had a chance to watch some football with pizza, wings and jalapeno poppers. A great day - just too bad the Chargers were no longer in contention.

I know I haven’t mentioned everybody. Admin, Legal, Security, Religious Ministries, Medical, Dental, Safety - everyone is working hard and doing their part. There is a lot of emphasis by Maintenance right now preparing for our Preventive Maintenance Program assist visit and inspection. We are taking full advantage of this at-sea period without the air wing to work on some areas that don’t have as high a priority when we are flying. There is a lot still to do in the week or so that we have left at sea, and your NIMITZ Sailors continue to do great work with a super attitude. We’ll stay busy all the way through our strike group force protection exercise inport at North Island 2 thru 4 Feb. For those three days, we’ll be doubling up the duty sections in order to man all the force protection requirements that we would have in an overseas port visit with a higher readiness posture.

As always, we appreciate the vital role you play in NIMITZ’s success. We couldn’t do our jobs out here if you weren’t there taking care of business on the homefront. I realize you have plenty of challenges to tackle - and you continue to do your part and support your Sailor. The value of your contribution to this team effort cannot be over estimated and I want to say thanks.

Don’t forget about our command party on 5 February at the Town and Country Hotel in Mission Valley. We’re pitching it as a Valentine’s party and it will be a good opportunity to come out and enjoy an evening of dinner, dancing, door prizes, and camaraderie. The party starts with a social hour at 5 PM and runs until midnight. Tickets are on sale at MWR onboard (E1-E4: $10; E5-E6: $15; and E7& up: $25 each). Babysitting is free with a reservation and rooms are available for a special rate. Come out and join the fun. I also want to remind you to mark your calendars for the pre-deployment fairs. The evenings of 22 and 24 Feb at Murphy Canyon Chapel and 1 March aboard NIMITZ are set aside for us to put out a lot of important information. It is especially important that you attend if this will be your Sailor’s (or your) first deployment.

I’m proud of our crew and I’m proud of you. Keep up the great work.

Warm regards and very respectfully,

CAPT Ted Branch

Commanding Officer

USS NIMITZ (CVN 68)