ALL CONDITIONS TESTED

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Tatyana Freeman | 190905-N-XO654-0035 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Sept. 6, 2019) Sailors don firefighting gear during a general quarters drill in the hangar bay aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). Ike is underway as Hurricane Dorian is forecasted to bring high winds and heavy rain to the Mid-Atlantic coast. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Tatyana Freeman)  

UNITED STATES

09.10.2019

Courtesy Story

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)   

ALL CONDITIONS TESTED
story and photo by: mc3 tatyana freeman


As the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) conducts Tailored Ship’s Training Availability and Final Evaluation Problems (TSTA/FEP), the crew must undergo a variety of tests in order to qualify for full integration into a carrier strike group.
Because of their unique and essential roles, damage controlmen are put to the test daily to ensure Ike’s crew passes TSTA/FEP and remains the premiere aircraft carrier on the east coast.
“We are the go-to first responders,” said Damage Controlman 2nd Class Austin Williamson. “We handle all the firefighting equipment. Through our maintenance we’re actually training ourselves for the drills and casualties.”
To ensure success, the damage controlmen aboard Ike have been preparing for TSTA/FEP for months, testing their knowledge on a daily basis to ensure they can assist the crew in any problems that arise.
“Preparing is just a lot of drills: between [general quarters drills] and flying squad, we were trying to get everything down to the ‘T’,” said Williamson. “Just getting in that mental mindset.”
Drills were not the only preparations damage controlmen had to make for TSTA/FEP. Every piece of damage control equipment had to be painstakingly checked and rechecked.
“We had to do lot of maintenance,” said Williamson, “A lot of making sure things were lined up and ready. Being in TSTA/FEP means being in constant drill mode. Making sure maintenance is scheduled properly and making sure maintenance is getting done to ensure everything is ready to go for the crew is essential.”
TSTA/FEP is designed to test the crew of an aircraft carrier in unique ways, and damage controlmen are no exception.
“TSTA/FEP likes to throw us in familiar situations, but also makes us practice what would happen if we made mistakes,” said Damage Controlman 3rd Class Philip Deguzman. “We have to be ready for the unexpected.”
The environment of TSTA/FEP is purposely hard to test the crew and the ship to ensure both are ready to be a part of a carrier strike group, and the burden of assistance in these tests falls on the damage controlmen.
“Doing drills over and over gets very strenuous and exhausting,” said Williamson, “It takes a lot of motivation and attention to detail to make sure you’re doing everything by the book, the right way and to make sure no one is getting hurt.”
Though tiring, TSTA/FEP has also been pushing the damage controlmen to give their best.
“TSTA/FEP has made me pay closer attention,” said Deguzman, “I’d never say I’m the best damage controlman onboard, but it’s reigned me in on why things we do are important and why I need to get them done.”
Though the damage controlmen have the knowledge and the skill to make it through TSTA/FEP, there are some things that Ike’s crew can do to help take a lot of the pressure off the damage controlmen.
“The crew’s knowledge and motivation helps us out a lot,” said Williamson. “Getting the right gear out, showing up on scene with the proper PPE [personal protective equipment] and being ready to go.”
TSTA/FEP, though challenging, is accomplishable and very possible with the help, hard work and guidance of the damage controlmen aboard Ike.
“Hopefully everybody learns something,” said Williamson. “It’s a good learning experience for not only the damage controlmen, but the ship.”
Tailored Ship’s Training Availability and Final Evaluation Problems (TSTA/FEP) is scheduled for the entirety of September, and thanks to the work and the effort of the damage controlmen, brings Ike one step closer to deployment.

• Date Taken: 09.10.2019
• Date Posted: 09.27.2019 13:29
• Story ID: 344154
• Location: US