Bonhomme Richard: Warfighting First, Part 3

USS BONHOMME RICHARD, AT SEA

12.12.2014

Courtesy Story

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Cameron McCulloch, USS Bonhomme Richard Public Affairs

USS BONHOMME RICHARD - If a Wizard of Oz analogy could be used for the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), then the operations department would be the wizard himself.

The Sailors of operations, like the wizard, give the heart, brain and courage to many other departments of the ship. When the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) embarks they can find their heart in their home on the ship. When the bridge needs to know their heading, operations points them in the right direction with our mission. When the communications department informs BHR’s Sailors of our schedule and goals, operations give us plan, which gives us courage in knowing we are on track and our mission is within reach. All that is done behind a curtain, one that filters out secure information to keep us safe from our enemies and cuts through the details we need to operate safely and efficiently.

“A lot of what operations department does is going to be behind the curtain,” said Ens. Robin Prestridge, combat information center officer, from Baton Rouge, La. “That is what allows us to operate safely and make informed decisions and provide that information, or a filtered version of that information to the bridge or other units to ensure they are able to operate safely as well. Especially here in the 7th Fleet Area of Operations, it’s vital that we have those sources to check out our situation.”

Unlike the Emerald City of Oz which was free of all violence, sickness and death some parts of the world are not. It’s the Navy’s mission, as well as Bonhomme Richard’s mission, to minimize those things whenever and wherever it can. It’s operations’ job to make sure we have the means to carry out that mission and our fighting force can support it.

“One of the key factors when planning a ship’s schedule both short term and long term is making sure to take into account the realistic logistics of the situation,” said Prestridge. “As we’ve seen recently at the very last minute something can change in our employment that can dramatically alter our schedule, for the short term and long term. When looking long term we need to make sure that we can coordinate available times with the other ships or units we need to work with.”

Transporting Marines is one of the primary missions of an amphibious assault ship and bringing two-thousand Marines anywhere is a daunting task, let alone embarking them on a ship.

“Everyone has worked hard,” said Marine Major Daeyong “La La” Ku, air operations officer, from Silver Spring, Md. “BHR and the 31st MEU Marines have our eyes set to sail. With the goal to foster relations, to teach and learn from other nations and other militaries, and to assist as required or as needed because that’s what America does. We are here as an extended arm of our country.

“We do everything, so our Sailors and their families can sleep easy and be reunited in the morning, or when the ship returns,” said Ku.

• Date Taken: 12.12.2014
• Date Posted: 12.12.2014 18:45
• Story ID: 150243
• Location: USS BONHOMME RICHARD, AT SEA