Nimitz News

Hello NIMITZ Family and Friends,
Good morning everyone from the Southern California Operating Area. We are at sea about 75 miles off the coast of San Diego as I type this, preparing for a Nuclear Power Mobile Training Team visit which starts tomorrow. The Mobile Training Team visits are part of our training program to ensure our reactor folks and propulsion equipment and procedures are fully ready to go at all times. Yesterday we took on a couple million gallons of jet fuel from one of the replenishment ships in preparation for our next and last major training event, Joint Task Force Training Exercise (JTFEX), which starts in a couple of weeks.

It’s been a while since my last email to you. I hope your holiday season was enjoyable and provided some time to rest and unwind. I know it was very quiet around the ship as we took the opportunity to give the crew some well-deserved time off following a very busy autumn of Tailored Ship’s Training Availability (TSTA) and Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX). January 8th saw everyone back aboard and preparations in full swing for an underway period during which we certified NIMITZ’s defensive systems--first with simulated intercepts of target drones, followed by actually shooting down the drones with our self-defense missiles. The Combat Systems and Operations folks worked very hard training and grooming the systems, and we achieved outstanding results. The other major purpose of the January underway was our deployment ordnance onload. We spent a couple of days alongside a replenishment ship transferring over two million pounds of bombs, missiles, and other types of ammunition and equipment. Weapons Dept, Deck, Air, and Navigation performed flawlessly and made that difficult and complicated evolution look easy. As with everything we do, it takes the entire crew’s talents and effort to enable success and these last two underways have been no exception. Between and around the major evolutions, we’ve been busy all over the ship completing dozens of tasks. Of particular note, Reactor and Engineering have been working hard preparing the ship and watchstanders for our upcoming operations and of course Supply Dept, who has a hand in everything we do, has been taking great care of the crew and providing all the “stuff” we need to complete the mission.

We are finishing up our training events and getting the ship loaded and fully ready to support our scheduled deployment this spring. As you know, there have been some schedule changes in the carrier force schedules and the area of intended employment for some of the Carrier Strike Groups. We’ve tried very hard to keep your Sailors and the families informed of the impact of these changes, and although I can’t go into detail on specific changes – I can say that the departure and return dates for the upcoming deployment are essentially the same that we have been planning on for the last year. I know I don’t have to tell you the deployment is just around the corner. We have had one pre-deployment brief for Sailors and family members and we will hold another one at Murphy Canyon Chapel on 20 February. These meetings are important, especially if your Sailor is making a first deployment or if you are new to the San Diego area. We have representatives at the meetings from all the various agencies and activities that support families and make things easier on the home front. It is also a great opportunity to meet with the Family Readiness Group (Team NIMITZ) and our team of Command Ombudsmen. One key to success for family members at home during deployments is understanding how to leverage the many programs available through the Navy. Pre-deployment briefs, the Ombudsmen, and Team NIMITZ are great sources of information and experience. Please take advantage of them. Contact info is on the ship’s website at www.nimitz.navy.mil.

I hope you had an opportunity to join us for the Winter Ball on January 27th at the Manchester Hyatt downtown. AOC Brandi Dobbs and the MWR Committee, and the Services Officer, LT “J.B.” Baluyot organized a fantastic event. We sold over 1400 tickets and everyone had a BLAST. Special thanks to the Family Readiness Group for arranging child care services for over 200 NIMITZ kids, and to the Wayne Foster Group for providing outstanding entertainment.

I’d like to take a moment to recognize our Stennis Center for Public Service Leadership Award winners and our Sailors of the Year. Congratulations to:

NIMITZ Leadership Award Winners
CINCPAC: LT Regina Rogers
Five-Star: AOCS(AW/SW) Jennifer Vollstedt
Pacific Thunder: AZ1(AW) Travis Treman

Sailors of the Year
ABF1(SW/AW) Richard Palmer
AE2(AW/SW) Brian Kornelius
ABH3(AW/SW) Michael Donoghue

Navy and Marine Corps Association Awards
CDR Lance Massey
LCDR Dan Rossler
LTJG Larry Tate
ENC(SW/AW) Medgal Peebles

The cruise will be here before you know it and the Preparation for Overseas Movement (POM) period is upon us. We will be in five section duty for POM, allowing for a 50% leave opportunity. The POM leave periods are March 5-14 and March 16-25. Turnover day is 15 March (it’s also the E-4 Exam day). As a reminder, E-6 exams are scheduled for March 1st and E-5 exams are on March 8th.

Well everyone, that’s a wrap for another update. Your Sailors continue to work very hard as we prepare for the upcoming deployment, and as always, your support is critical for our success. We cannot do our jobs out here without your talents and dedication in holding up your end on the homefront. I know there is always a lot of stress at this time in a ship’s schedule, but you are doing a super job supporting this magnificent crew. Keep up the great work.

Warm regards and very respectfully,

CAPT Ted Branch, USN
Commanding Officer
USS NIMITZ (CVN 68)