First Line of Defense: Gerald R. Ford’s Crash and Salvage Division

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

11.01.2023

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Mattingly 

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)           

On the flight deck of the world’s largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), Sailors in silver suits and red cranials stand the watch as the first line of defense in case the worst of circumstances occurs. An aircraft crash.
These Sailors are aviation boatswain’s mates, part of air department’s crash and salvage division. In the rare event of a fire, mass casualty, or aircraft crash, these critical players have a role that could potentially mean life or death for hundreds of flight deck personnel and squadron aircrewmen.
“We are the first responders for anything that goes wrong on the flight deck, whether that be fires, fuel spills, or medical emergencies,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Airman Keite Brickman, from Sparta, Wisconsin. “We are always standing by on the flight deck to ensure we respond at a moment’s notice and we work with folks on the flight deck in case anything goes wrong up there.”
Sailors assigned to crash and salvage utilize and train with multiple tools such as the P-25 tractor and a large crane known as the “Tilly.” These vehicles are equipped with firefighting hoses, recovery equipment and other resources that are essential in equipping crash and salvage Sailors with the assets needed to combat casualties on the flight deck and recover injured personnel or equipment that could be trapped in a crashed airframe.
“In crash, we train to three different aspects of how we combat a casualty on the flight deck. They are initial, overhaul and rescue training,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Airman Zaniya Burse, from Wincrause, Georgia. “These three phases are basically how we combat any casualty. We approach the aircraft and combat the fire, then we will remove any equipment such as batteries or machinery, and then we will recover personnel from the aircraft.”
Crash and salvage Sailors will find themselves moving about the flight deck to watch as aircraft launch and land throughout the day, always being on the alert to respond when they are called upon.
Air department Sailors Brickman and Burse asked to be assigned to this division, dreaming to don the red jersey with ‘crash and salvage’ written on it.
“When I was at Recruit Training Command, I was first introduced to what crash and salvage does and was immediately hooked by the idea of it,” said Brickman. “When I checked onboard Ford, I actively pursued to be assigned to crash. I went from working down in the hangar bay to working on the flight deck, which is a major change, but it’s one of the best things you can do as an aviation boatswain’s mate.”
As a result, many of the Sailors in crash and salvage have created a close bond and treat each other like family. From the warrant officer in charge to the airmen who man the tractors, they work together and prepare for the worst so that all Sailors on the flight deck can stay safe.
“The most rewarding part about being in crash and salvage is that we are like a family that works hard to get the job done,” said Burse. “Our chain of command has our backs no matter how difficult the task is. We all work together to get everything done and stay proficient to keep everybody on the flight deck safe.”
The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG) is conducting a scheduled deployment in U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations, demonstrating the commitment and power projection capability of the Navy’s globally deployed force. The GRFCSG provides an inherently flexible naval force capable of deploying across combatant commands to meet emerging missions, deter potential adversaries, reassure allies and partners, enhance security and guarantee the free flow of global commerce. In total, the GRFCSG is deployed with more than 5,000 Sailors across all platforms ready to respond globally to combatant commander tasking.
Gerald R. Ford is the U.S. Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier. As the first-in-class ship of Ford-class aircraft carriers, CVN 78 represents a generational leap in the U.S. Navy’s capacity to project power on a global scale. Ford-class aircraft carriers introduce 23 new technologies, including EMALS, AAG and Advanced Weapons Elevators. The new systems incorporated onto Ford-class ships are designed to deliver greater lethality, survivability and joint interoperability with a 20% smaller crew than a Nimitz-class carrier, paving the way forward for naval aviation.
For more information about the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), visit https://www.airlant.usff.navy.mil/cvn78/ and follow along on Facebook: @USSGeraldRFord, Instagram: @cvn78_grford, Twitter: @Warship_78, DVIDS www.dvids.net/CVN78 and LinkedIn at USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

• Date Taken: 11.01.2023
• Date Posted: 11.17.2023 08:58
• Story ID: 458032
• Location: MEDITERRANEAN SEA