KITSAP NAVY NEWS
Page A12
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The Stennis enters dry dock
Contributed photo
Sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and Navy civilians take part docking the Stennis at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, where it will begin a scheduled Docking Planned Incremental Availability. The dry dock will provide Sailors and shipyard workers access to the ship below the waterline for maintenance, repairs and refurbishments. BY Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Daniel Schumacher
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) entered Dry Dock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance
Facility (PSNS & IMF) June 27, to begin its scheduled Docking Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA). The dry dock provides Sailors and shipyard workers access to the ship below the waterline for maintenance, repairs and refurbishments. The ship got underway
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June 26 from Pier Delta at Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton to transit into the f looded dry dock using five tugboats. With minimal clearance on either side, the ship was then carefully positioned onto support blocks as the water slowly drained from the dock. “Everyone was very careful and very coordinated throughout the docking evolution as there was little room for error,” said Dale Coyle, dock assistant project superintendent, from Bremerton. “The (shipyard) riggers are trained for this evolution and took the lead while Stennis Sailors assisted us with additional manpower wherever they needed it.”
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During DPIA, Stennis is scheduled to undergo extensive maintenance and upgrades to improve its mission readiness and war fighting capabilities. Some of the more notable evolutions expected to occur include preserving and painting the ship’s hull, upgrading the propulsion plant, refurbishing the crew’s berthing compartments, and a complete replacement of the ship’s computer networks and work stations. “At the completion of DPIA, the material condition will be enhanced, the quality of life for the Sailors will be significantly improved and our war fighting capability will be improved,” said Cmdr. Nito Blas, Stennis’ chief engineer, from Mangilao, Guam. With so many different projects to be completed during DPIA, Coyle said approximately 5,000 people, including PSNS & IMF personnel, the ship’s crew and private contractors, will be working in and around the dry dock. “We have estimated that more than 700,000 mandays of work comprised of Stennis Sailors, contractors, and PSNS and IMF employees that will be accomplished during this DPIA, making this the largest DPIA that any shipyard has worked,” said Coyle. For more news from USS John C. Stennis visit www.stennis.navy.mil or www.facebook.com/stennis 74. For more news from PSNS visit http://www. n a v s e a . n a v y. m i l /s h i p yards/Puget.
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Friday, July 5, 2013
Week alone means kids are growing up
I knew this So I had Navy Wise would hapfive full days pen. Indeed, all to myself. I I told you could sleep in. that it would I could shop happen. My or write or eat youngest son, cookies for Lindell, went lunch. I had into kinderzero respongarten in sibilities. And September as what did I do? a baby, and I sat around he came out Sarah Smiley missing all of in June a little my boys, but boy. in particular, Despite knowing every- Lindell. thing I do about little boys I wandered from room to and the first day of kindergar- room thinking of how he usuten, I didn’t fully understand ally would be on my heels the ramifications of Lindell’s asking me to play or telling inevitable growth and separa- me about some fantastic (and tion from me until the sum- really unsafe) idea he had. I mer actually started. And now did errands and missed him I feel sad. sitting in the shopping cart Here’s how a summer day or running up and down the went for us last year: aisles. I folded his clothes and My older boys spent most nearly cried over every tiny of their day swimming in sock. the lake, playing catch in the Silly, huh? But I couldn’t front yard or walking to and shake this nagging sense from the baseball field. They of loneliness. And it is odd went to summer camp for a because Lindell just spent a week and stayed all day. They whole year in kindergarten. played with their friends out- Hadn’t I had time to adjust side and left again after din- to all three boys being gone? ner. They knew who was in Why did I not feel this way their next year’s class before during the school year? I did. Then I realized the difLindell, on the other hand, ference: all-day school was was still very much a baby, something for which Lindell or a babyish toddler. He pre- had no choice. He went to kinferred sitting in my lap to dergarten every day because swimming at the lake. He was he had to. Last week, Lindell too young to go to the baseball went to all-day summer camp field alone, and he had no because he wanted to. That’s a interest in summer camp. He whole different ballgame. waited with bated breath for I began to understand me to tell him who his next what this year’s summer will year’s teacher would be and be like: Lindell will join his who might be in his class. brothers for swimming and All of that has changed this leave me on the shore. He will summer. play catch with them outside Last week, all three boys and not follow me around the went off to Windover, a hid- house. He will go with his den-in-the-woods art camp in brothers to the baseball field Newburgh, Maine, that has and back. And in a very short no buildings except for old time, I will have no babies left barns with slanting floors. It at all. is total kid paradise. As young Ouch. as 6, campers can help make Late last week, I was thinkmovies, do photography, ing about these things when make pottery, paint, swim the camp bus rolled and let and run through the open off the boys. Ford, 12, walked fields. Lindell has never before out calmly with his hands been able to go to Windover stuffed in his pockets and no with Ford and Owen. He’s expression on his face. Owen, only heard the stories and 10, walked beside him, but looked longingly at the art he smiled at me as they came projects they brought home. closer. But it was Lindell who This summer, he was finally broke into a sprint, his backold enough, and although I pack bouncing against his had my doubts about whether back, to come give me a hug. “I missed you,” he said into or not he’d actually leave me for a full day, he didn’t even my shirt. I ruffled his hair and look back when he climbed the steps of the bus and disap- thought, maybe I still have a peared into it with his broth- little window of time left with ers. my baby.