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PACIFIC OCEAN -- Sailors assigned to combat systems 8 (CS-8) inspect and maintain multiple types of equipment ranging from sound powered telephones and announcing systems to alarms and warning devices to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).
Thirty-two interior communications electricians are responsible for the preventative and corrective maintenance of shipboard communication systems that support daily operations aboard the ship.
“We own over 22,000 pieces of equipment on Abraham Lincoln and that works out to a lot of maintenance and repairs. We absolutely could not be successful without driven and deliberate teamwork,” said Chief Interior Communications Electrician Melissa Ljongquist, CS-8’s leading chief petty officer. “Forceful backup has been the unspoken motto since well before I entered the rate.”
One of CS-8’s responsibilities is maintenance on life-saving equipment critical to the safety of the crew including early detection warning systems that may alert Sailors in the event of toxic gas leaks, flooding, unwanted intrusions and abnormally high temperatures.
“We are also in charge of making sure the ship is aware of any announcements or information that has to go over the ship’s 1MC,” said Interior Communications Electrician Seaman Adam Lindgren, a Sailor assigned to CS-8. “Without us, telephones, television, warning and announcing systems wouldn’t function.”
Interior communications electricians perform corrective maintenance on equipment in locations from the bilge to the bridge through four different divisions, each unique to the equipment they are responsible for. These work centers include alarm and warning, damage control, announcing and sound powered telephones and Shipboard Information, Training and Education (SITE).
“We are responsible for all interior communications throughout the ship,” said Ljongquist. “We also own equipment that every Sailor on the ship needs and uses to do their job every day, like the J-dial telephones and sound powered circuits. If anything communicates with audio or visuals from one part of the ship to another, that’s likely our equipment.”
CS-8 must be in constant communication with other departments to keep Abraham Lincoln mission ready.
“CS-8 is a unique division to work in, as we don’t really fit into any one department,” said Ljongquist. “We own equipment in every space on the ship, and a lot in combat systems and in engineering, so we have to coordinate across departments to get our work done. This can be challenging.”
CS-8’s leadership prioritizes the welfare of its Sailors to ensure that they remain ready to maintain Abraham Lincoln’s equipment.
“I try to make sure my Sailors are taken care of,” said Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class Louis Morin, a Sailor assigned to CS-8. “Their ability to do this job safely and efficiently is one of my most important concerns, and since our systems are tied in with so many other systems, their welfare means we can work to keep Abraham Lincoln’s Sailors safe and stay in the fight.”
On any given day, CS-8’s Sailors may be called to maintain or troubleshoot equipment throughout the ship. As problems solvers, they use their knowledge, experience and careful attention to detail to keep Abraham Lincoln’s systems functioning.
“I conduct maintenance on hundreds of pieces of equipment a month,” said Lindgren. “On underways, sometimes I do double the amount of work with trouble calls, weekly maintenance and corrective maintenance. I am proud to do my job because I get hands on experience with a vast amount of electrical equipment so any platform I get to work on is just a slight variation of most things I have worked with before.”
By maintaining the systems that keep Abraham Lincoln in good working condition, CS-8 keeps Sailors warfighter ready.
“Not many people know what we do until something breaks, then we become the most important rate on the ship,” said Morin. “CS-8 plays a unique role in combat systems and our ability to be great at our job is key for Abraham Lincoln’s overall safety and readiness.”
| Date Taken: | 11.10.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.07.2021 19:26 |
| Story ID: | 410678 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 78 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Communication is key, by PO2 Tristan Labuguen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
