USS Bonhomme Richard: Warfighting first

SASEBO, JAPAN

01.11.2015

Courtesy Story

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ty C. Connors, USS Bonhomme Richard Public Affairs

SASEBO, Japan – A warship’s most important asset is her Sailors, and it is the mission of the Executive Department of the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) to care for the administrative, security, informational and spiritual needs of the crew.

Executive Department is staffed mainly by the Master-at-Arms, (MA) Mass Communication Specialist, (MC) Navy Counselor, (NC) Personnel Specialist, (PS) Religious Programs Specialist (RP) and Yeoman (YN) rates who work, from many different angles, to accomplish the common goal of taking care of Sailors.

“Ultimately, Executive department’s mission is to support the warfighter,” said Lt. Tennille M. Hairston, Bonhomme Richard’s administrative officer. “Our efforts allow Sailors to focus on performing their primary job. They know with confidence that we will effectively manage their careers, ensure their security, keep their families informed, and do everything possible to increase their morale and spiritual well being. “

The divisions that are associated with the Executive Department are administrative, personnel, public affairs, the Chaplain’s office, the 3M office and the MA Shack.

“The personnel office is responsible for all pay-related items, records management travel claims and orders and Sailor check-ins and check-outs,” said Chief Personnel Specialist Diosdado M. Roxas. “We are a customer service-based division. Our primary mission is to put the needs of the service member first.”

“The Administrative Office is responsible for all correspondence going to the commanding officer, executive officer and command master chief,” said Yeoman 1st Class Sophia L. Jordan, Executive Department leading petty officer. “This includes evaluations, awards, instructions, and “chits,” the document that a Sailor submits to command leadership for special consideration.”

The Navy Career counselors work with the admin and personnel offices to help Sailors track career milestones, make career goals and provide advice.

“Career Counselors are responsible for assisting the career progression of all Sailor’s from entry-level to retirement,” said Navy Counselor 1st Class Min H. Jun. “These include re-enlistments, extensions, C-WAY applications, and career development boards, while also staying up late nights to communicate with Sailors’ detailers back in the U.S.”

Bonhomme Richard’s executive department is also home to the Sailors who oversee the ship’s Material Maintenance and Management (3M) Program.

“PMS stands for planned maintenance system. It's a program to prevent equipment from breaking up,” said Master Chief Engineman Noel Ramos, Bonhomme Richard's 3M Coordinator. “Overall, it's going to prevent the ship from breaking up by finding the parts that are about to break.”

The ship’s public face is managed by the Public Affairs Office Sailors, who use photography, video, the written word, and graphic design to tell Bonhomme Richard’s part of the Navy story.

“We have a talented group of Sailors who bring their diverse skills together to inform our crew and to tell their families at home what Bonhomme Richard does to keep our nation safe,” said Chief Mass Communication Specialist Allen L. Onstott. “We use Facebook and DoD websites to get the word out. We also print shipboard instructions and literature, and provide movies for the crew on our closed-circuit TV channels. I believe our biggest impact is to let the world know about the positive difference our Sailors are making in 7th Fleet.”

The MA shack manages physical security for the ship and runs training for the Ship’s Self-Defense Force (SSDF) personnel that supplement their team.

“We continually train and qualify Sailors to stand SSDF duty so that we can increase the security capability of the ship,” said Master-at-Arms 1st Class Nicholas S. Fessler. “We used the time ashore to certify and recertify a large number of the ship’s company in firearms, watch-standing and unarmed combat to maximize the readiness of our SSDF.”

The Chaplain’s office provides denominational and non-denominational services, and religious and secular support and counsel to the crew.

“Our function is to provide the capabilities for the ship’s personnel to be able to successfully practice their chosen religion,” said Lt. Luke Dundon, chaplain of Bonhomme Richard. “We are also available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for counseling and moral support”

“Whether in-port or underway, the work of the Executive Department continues without break,” said Senior Chief Navy Counselor Latonya Luter. “Re-enlistments, retirements, news stories, maintenance, they all continue and most are handled on a continuous basis. During our restricted availability period, we concentrated on efficiency, process improvement and developing the skills and qualifications of our Sailors outside their primary duties. It is important that we never stop developing well-rounded Sailors and increasing our division’s contribution to accomplishing the ship’s mission.”

• Date Taken: 01.11.2015
• Date Posted: 01.11.2015 02:17
• Story ID: 151711
• Location: SASEBO, JP