Courtesy Photo | Petty Officer 2nd Class Miriam Verbarg, the sail loft leading petty officer from Naval...... read more read more
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By Seaman David Votroubek
Fleet Public Affairs Center Pacific Northwest
SPOKANE, Wash. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Miriam Verbarg watched over a young Sailor as he sewed panels on a foul weather hatch cover. Known as a "dogshack," the small shelter was being made at the Navy Reserve intermediate maintenance activity to help protect fleet submarine watch standers from the elements.
While the group and what they do may be unfamiliar to many, the RIMA program provides products that have been used by thousands of Sailors out in the fleet. RIMA shops manufacture items like cofferdams, damage control plugs, podiums, award plaques and bunk curtains to support fleet operations around the world and improve shipboard quality of life.
"The support from RIMA for manufacturing submarine rack curtains has allowed all Norfolk area submarines to deploy with a full load of rack curtains in excellent repair," said Chief Petty Officer John W. Johnson, who helps initiate projects for the RIMAs.
One of the most successful RIMA products is a man-movable submarine brow with a counter-balance that allows it to be placed and removed without the aid of a crane. Eliminating crane dependency reduces costs, improves operational flexibility and saves valuable time required to place and remove brows during arrival or when getting underway.
Johnson, who is a submarine type desk assistant, added that RIMA Sailors respond to the needs of the fleet and can change their products to meet those needs.
"RIMA personnel have been very flexible in customizing products such as dogshacks to meet the operational submarine force needs for a portable and rugged product," Johnson said.
Although RIMAs usually support commands within the submarine force, they can also provide services to any fleet asset. The RIMAs charge the requesting command only for the cost of the production materials, while the balance is funded by Commander Navy Reserve Force via Commander Submarine Group Two.
This arrangement saves money on products and services while sustaining a high level of technical and production proficiency within the Navy Reserve. Occasionally the RIMAs become the only source for repair parts and equipment which are no longer available in the military supply system.
Each activity is manned by reserve component expeditionary maintenance detachments, who work on the projects during their monthly drill weekends. For that reason, projects that can be finished over several drill periods are best suited for RIMA support.
"The key to receiving a requested product within a desired timeframe is advanced planning and scheduling," said Lt. Cmdr. Tony Marrero, COMSUBGRU Two's operational support officer.
The RIMA program currently consists of eight Submarine Force Reserve Component Maintenance Activities in Washington, D.C.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Denver, Colo.; Great Lakes, Ill.; Eleanor, W. Va.; Louisville, Ky.; Spokane, Wash.; and Tucson, Ariz.
"The unit pulls together as a team to produce a final product that directly benefits the fleet," Verbarg said when talking about the partnership between RIMAs and the fleet.
After it was finished, several RIMA Sailors assembled the dogshack under the gray Spokane skies. Soon it will protect submarine Sailors from worse weather around the world.
| Date Taken: | 10.29.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.29.2008 17:22 |
| Story ID: | 25710 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 396 |
| Downloads: | 223 |
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