NNSY-GHWB Project Team Celebrate Milestone

PORTSMOUTH, VA, UNITED STATES

10.13.2020

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class William Gaskill 

USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77)

PORTSMOUTH, Va.—The aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) held a celebration at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) recognizing the on-time completion of shipyard milestones during its Docking Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA), Oct. 13.
“We could only do this because of the outstanding teamwork between America’s Shipyard and the crew of the GHWB,” said Capt. Robert Aguilar, the ship’s commanding officer. “What this means to America is that our ship will be ready to take its place on the line and do what she was built to do and that is project power globally.”
Sailors assigned to GHWB and civilian shipyard employees gathered at Pier 3 for a “Big Rock Event.” The tradition dates back about 15 years at NNSY. During the ceremony, shipyard workers Janell Jackson and Robert Wheeler symbolically crushed a rock with sledgehammers in recognition of their efforts to keep the ship on track for project completion in 2021.
“This ceremony covers what is a longstanding tradition at Norfolk Naval Shipyard,” NNSY Shipyard Commanding Officer Rear Adm. Howard Markle said. “We established some solid goals at the beginning of the year and then lined ourselves up to bust a big rock when we ultimately achieved them.”
USS George H. W. Bush, which is the last of the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, is receiving essential life-cycle maintenance and modernization. These improvements will enable her to return to the fleet in top warfighting condition in support of national interests.
GHWB departed dry dock Aug. 28 after an 18-month dry dock phase. The ship is currently moored pierside at NNSY for the remainder of its DPIA and is expected to return to an operational status in the summer of 2021.

• Date Taken: 10.13.2020
• Date Posted: 11.13.2020 09:20
• Story ID: 381145
• Location: PORTSMOUTH, VA, US