Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Jordan Brown | Religious Program Specialist Seaman Raymundo Jimenez, from Bellflower, California,...... read more read more
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The dry dock period for all Navy vessels is a time for needed maintenance and upkeep for the structural integrity and warfighting capabilities necessary to prolong their maritime presence around the world. Sailors and contractors alike, work together in order to make this a reality, which entails daily hard work and focused efforts. At times, Sailors aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) require a space to decompress and relax away from the ship in order to get back into the day-to-day grind. This is where the Uniform Services Organization (USO) comes in.
Established in 1941, the USO was created to provide active duty personnel with a space to increase morale and provide recreational activities. Today, active duty military members utilize the USO to do just that.
Due to the maintenance conducted on Ronald Reagan, many of the compartments are uninhabitable, meaning Sailors cannot undergo daily operations within them. A barge was setup off-ship to supplement this so that Sailors could complete these duties. A specific compartment within the barge was designated as the USO, making it the first of its kind on the West coast. The Command Religious Ministries Department (CRMD) is responsible for the USO and proudly serve Sailors who need a chance to get a way for a while.
“Sailors are surrounded by a metal ship, daily,” said Chief Religious Program Specialist (RPC) Long Lee. “We put this together for Sailors in order to make them feel like they aren’t on the ship.”
Filled with gaming consoles, books, and other recreational activities, the USO recreates an environment where Sailors can relax, grab a snack or coffee and engage with one another outside of a work setting. The demanding nature of shipboard life can sometimes create a sense of stress.
“At times, we need to get a Sailor’s mind off of work,” said Lee. “Unfortunately, work is sometimes a driving force of the stress and anxiety Sailors feel in their personal life.”
Religious Program Specialist Seaman Amari Tucker checked onto Ronald Reagan in October and quickly found that Navy life is not for the faint-of-heart. She said she quickly realized that productivity and leisure time were not independent of each other and that it is important to take some time away from work-life in order to effectively perform daily work tasks once Sailors return, fresh.
“Ever since I checked into CRMD, I found that work
life can get overwhelming,” said Tucker. “If Sailors can get a chance to get away from work, even for a little-bit, I feel they are more productive in completing tasks that their shops expect them to get done.”
Tucker went on to explain that mental health is important to her. The USO’s responsibility is to military personnel’s morale, which determines an individual’s attitude they carry to work and how well they work with others.
“Some recreational time is important because it not only affects you personally, but those around you as well,” said Tucker. “If something is affecting you, it tends to rub off on other people … We don’t want that. Positive attitudes are also contagious which will help with the overall workload Sailors have.”
Sailors like Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Tava’Etoto Uti are avid users of the USO’s facility. She said that she goes the USO to simply take a breather and decompress for a while and enjoys the fact that it is conveniently located in a space accessible and easy to find for anyone on the barge.
“It’s so close to my office,” said Uti. “This has always been a place to stop and soothe my mind … I love the peace and quiet.”
Since the USO is ran by CRMD, they decided incorporate some worth-while amenities to help Sailors have easy access to CRMD services. Services such as chaplain appointments and volunteer sign-ups can be scheduled at the USO as well. When Sailors walk in, they are immediately greeted by the chaplain’s assistant responsible for manning the front-desk and assisting Sailors with any questions they have regarding the space or appointments and volunteer opportunities they would like to utilize.
“The USO has a lot of different functions,” said Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Faith Estrada. “For instance, this binder contains all upcoming volunteer opportunities for Sailors … Sailors can also schedule appointments with a ship’s chaplain of their choice by either physically signing up, or scanning the QR code located on the door as they walk in.”
CRMD has gone the extra mile by ensuring Sailors have a space dedicated to them. Life aboard a U.S. carrier is demanding, especially with such a cumbersome maintenance period, leaving many individuals with few options in ways of leisure. Located on the barge, The USO offers many a chance to get away from their work for a brief moment to themselves, all in an effort to relax, recoup and get back into the fight.
| Date Taken: | 04.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.20.2025 16:03 |
| Story ID: | 498500 |
| Location: | BREMERTON, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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