Sailors assigned to aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) completed a replenishment-at-sea (RAS) with Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE 6), April 18.
During the RAS, Enterprise took on supplies, such as food, mail and fuel, among other necessities, essential to the ship’s mission and crew morale.
“We received everything from milk to chips,” said Master Chief Culinary Specialist Thaddeus T. Wright . “We had both dry and frozen provisions come in.”
The replenishment of food supplies is necessary to feed large crews while underway.
The most anticipated supply brought on during each RAS, however, is mail. Receiving mail during deployment is one of the most powerful morale boosters for the crew.
Yeoman 3rd Class Michael A. Nye said Enterprise took on more than 1,500 pounds of mail during the aircraft carrier’s most recent RAS.
Fifteen hundred pounds of mail is relatively small when compared to the amount of fuel “Big E” brought aboard.
“We brought on 1.2 million gallons of fuel today, ” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) 2nd Class Tanisha F. Glass . “We try to stay on top of our fuel – especially since we’re using nearly 100,000 gallons per day for regular flight operations.”
An aircraft carrier cannot fulfill its mission without enough fuel aboard to refill its aircraft, so replenishing fuel is an essential part of Enterprise’s mission.
“We will start taking on mail and fuel a lot more, as well as food, soda, and things for the ship’s store. Everyone wins during these evolutions,” said Wright.
The RAS is a critical evolution and requires the efforts of many crew members to complete it swiftly and efficiently.
“Replenishment at sea is a very organized process,” said Nye. “It takes a lot of players to make sure everything goes smoothly and according to plan.”
The team effort put forth by the 250-man working party as they work together to ensure that each RAS is carried out successfully is valued by everyone involved.
“I truly appreciate everyone that comes out to help,” said Wright. “Each person makes a difference.”
[mappress] Navaltoday Staff, April 24, 2012;