A World of Service

Courtesy Photo | Petty Officer 2nd Class Harlan Jones, a ship'­s serviceman, trims Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Smith's, an electronics technician, hair in the barbershop aboard amphibious transport dock USS Ponce (LPD 15). Ponce is part of Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (Photo by: Petty Officer 1st Class Nathanael Miller)  

ABOARD USS PONCE, USAFRICOM, AT SEA

12.22.2010

Courtesy Story

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet           

Story by: Petty Officer 1st Class Nathanael Miller

ARABIAN GULF - Armed with scissors, clippers, keys to the ship's store and laundry detergent, the sailors who wear the crossed quill and key of the ship's serviceman (SH) rating badge provide a multitude of services to the crew of amphibious transport dock USS Ponce (LPD 15).

Petty Officer 2nd Class Harlan Jones, a ship's serviceman, clad in a black barber's smock and awaiting his next customer, said the SH rating brings a variety of services to Ponce. He said his rate is multifaceted and is responsible for everything from cutting hair to selling "geedunk" in the ship's store.

"Ship's servicemen provide services to the crew, generally anything other than what the culinary specialists provide and general parts the logistical specialists provide," Jones said. The culinary specialists provide food service for the crew while the logistical specialists are responsible for all supply matters, but a gap still exists, Jones explained. The SH rating fills that gap.

According to Jones, the ship's servicemen provide direct services to the crew. "We run the barbershop, ship's store, and laundry all at once. There's an SH in every one of them," he said.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Eric Chandler, a ship's serviceman, said the diverse responsibilities of the rating require several skill sets to be successful. Security, laundry, sales, retail management, and barber services are some of the skills a sailor must master in order to qualify as a ship's serviceman, he said.

One example of the daily challenges ship's servicemen face is keeping the ship's store stocked. "You can never know exactly how much you need in the ship's store," Chandler said. "You're constantly going up there to check up on it."

Although the ship's laundry is not as labor-intensive as the ship's store or barbershop, it is just as critical to the readiness of the crew. Even though Ponce has a "self service" laundry, an SH has to man the space to ensure the machines are functioning and assist their shipmates in case there is a problem. Clean uniforms are as much a part of daily hygiene and sanitary living conditions at sea as daily showers are. More than morale is impacted by the ship's laundry, said Jones; the health of the crew can be at stake as well.

One of the more visible places one can find a ship's serviceman is in the ship's barbershop. Clippers buzzing and scissors snipping, ship's servicemen help keep their shipmates' hair within standards and boost morale at the same time.

"I love being able to help people out," Jones said. "There are little things about your self-esteem that start when you wake up in the morning. You look at yourself in the mirror, and if you have a messed up haircut, that takes a little bit off. Those little things start to turn into bigger things as you go along during the day."

With the broad range of duties required, the ship's servicemen are kept busy. Their efforts impact readiness as much as it affects morale. Whether it's keeping the laundry running, selling candy in the ship's store or chatting with shipmates while cutting hair, the ship's servicemen provide a world of service to the fleet.

• Date Taken: 12.22.2010
• Date Posted: 01.12.2011 03:13
• Story ID: 63403
• Location: ABOARD USS PONCE, USAFRICOM, AT SEA