S-1: Stock Control

NEWPORT NEWS, VA, UNITED STATES

03.03.2018

Story by Seaman Steven Young 

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73)

While the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) is undergoing it’s refueling complex overhaul (RCOH), material readiness has become one of the foremost priorities. A bulk of the parts and materials required for a successful RCOH along with miscellaneous items needed to accomplish day-to-day tasks are provided by George Washington’s supply department.
The supply department is comprised of 13 divisions, each specializing in a specific aspect of providing the ship with materials essential to the completion of various jobs. As its name implies, the stock control, or S-1, division is responsible for providing items requested by all departments aboard George Washington.
“The supply department is divided into logistics divisions and service divisions,” said Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Xiaohong Cao, the S-1 financial leading petty officer. “S-1 falls into the logistics side. We must manage how much money is being spent every quarter. We are allotted a certain amount of money through TYCOM (Type Commander) to spend on supplies for the ship, and at the end of the fiscal year we must match 99.9 percent of that spending. We have to get lists from each division to see what type of equipment or items they need to order, and we have to appraise that in R-SUPPLY (Relational Supply) which is our main system.”
Sailors from S-1 coordinate with repair parts petty officers (RPPO) from different departments to provide training, and deliver parts and materials requested by that division.
“When a departmental RPPO comes to us we give them training on how to order materials in R-SUPPLY, so when they need those materials they can order them,” said Cao. “After whatever they need has been ordered, we will first check to see if it is in stock. If it is, we will approve it and S-8 (shipping and receiving) will pull that material and give it to the customer along with a 1348, which is a confirmation receipt.”
In addition to services provided to the various departments of the ship, S-1 also provides materials to the other divisions of supply department.
“The difference between the other supply divisions and S-1 is that we pretty much supply them with what they need,” said Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Yameliz Rodriguez, the stock control customer service leading petty officer. “If they ever need any maintenance done, or they need certain parts or any supplies we’ll deal with the financial aspect of it and supply them with whatever they need.”
While a majority of the ship’s force has experienced a major change in their routine during RCOH, S-1 is one of the few divisions that has not seen drastic contrast in their duties.
“For me not much has changed since coming into the shipyard,” said Rodriguez. “If you think about it, the ship is always going to need stock. It’s always going to need supplies. We don’t order as much as we used to, but reactor is always going to need a part; people are still going to need copy paper and office supplies, so we still play a major role, especially with all the parts and everything that’s being replaced in RCOH.”
S-1 uses multiple processes to obtain materials. The nature of the item determines which method is used.
“Consumable products are obtained through SUPSHIP (Supervisor of Shipbuilding), and repair parts are obtained through JML (Job Material Listing), and they’re both in separate warehouses,” said Rodriguez. “Maintenance related items that are needed as part of RCOH are acquired from the GE (General Electric) warehouse through JML. We’re like a liaison between the warehouses and the departments who need materials. On the ship, we’re the ones who have contact with every work center and every RPPO.”
Supplying the ship’s multiple divisions ensures the ship and her crew can maintain mission and operational readiness throughout the year. Whether behind a register, a desk, or with arms full of supplies from a freshly unloaded truck, personnel in
S-1 keep daily functions possible.

• Date Taken: 03.03.2018
• Date Posted: 03.03.2018 12:34
• Story ID: 268010
• Location: NEWPORT NEWS, VA, US