Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Mattingly | Lt. Nicholas Curta, the assistant judge advocate assigned to the world's largest...... read more read more
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NORFOLK, Va. – The first time Lt. Nicholas Curta took the watch as officer of the deck (OOD) aboard the world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), he wasn’t thinking about awards or recognition. A judge advocate by training, Curta was seeking to support the ship’s mission. What he didn’t expect was that his sharp instincts would one day earn him one of the Navy’s most prestigious honors in ship handling.
Curta was named the Shiphandler of the Year for 2024 by Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic, a rare distinction for a staff corps officer, a portion of the naval officer community seldom involved in any sort of navigational work, and even more for a judge advocate primarily tasked with advising commanding officers on military justice and operational law.
“On carriers, we have a wide array of folks who stand bridge watch. Unlike destroyers, a carrier only has so many surface warfare officers to go around, most of whom are specialists who work in the engineering or reactor departments,” said Curta. “So, you can have a JAG, a public affairs officer, and even a P-3 pilot navigate the world’s largest aircraft carrier. It’s really humbling and, if I’m honest, a really cool experience for someone like me, who will spend most of their career providing legal advice and studying the Uniform Code of Military Justice, to have that chance to be at the tip of the spear of the Navy’s operational side of the house.”
The Shiphandler of the Year award annually recognizes officers who demonstrate exceptional performance in shiphandling, seamanship, and leadership on the bridge. Winners typically consist of line officers with extensive operational experience on multiple Navy platforms.
“I couldn’t have dreamed of winning an award like this without the help of my fellow watchstanders, especially the Quartermasters and Boatswain’s Mates, who made it genuinely enjoyable to stand my Officer of the Deck watch,” said Curta. “I truly owe everyone on the bridge watch team credit with this award because they surely deserve it too. To be selected as one of the best shiphandlers in the Fleet is something that feels a bit surreal to me.”
Curta earned his shiphandling qualifications shortly after reporting to Gerald R. Ford and logged hundreds of hours under instruction, eventually qualifying as an OOD and leading teams of watchstanders on daily 5-hour rotations during the ship’s inaugural deployment in 2023. During that time, he helped guide the ship through six foreign port calls, multiple general quarters drills, and sailing thousands of nautical miles across the Atlantic and Mediterranean. He honed his skills to an expert level with mentorship from deck and navigation departments, standing watch alongside seasoned ship division officers.
His success at the helm has also shaped the way he leads, both on the bridge and in the courtroom.
“Shiphandling has taught me more than just how to maneuver a massive aircraft carrier,” Curta said. “It’s taught me to remain calm under pressure, to trust my team, and to make decisions decisively with the best available information, skills that are just as critical when advising a commanding officer on legal matters or prosecuting a court martial.”
Curta hopes to use his unique blend of operational experience and legal expertise to mentor junior officers, improve integration between staff and line officer communities, and advocate for greater leadership development across all designators.
As Curta looks ahead to his next command, he carries forward a unique blend of operational experience and legal insight honed as a bridge officer aboard Gerald R. Ford. He continues to grow as a judge advocate and an officer, proving that the bridge between legal expertise and deckplate leadership is one well worth navigating.
| Date Taken: | 06.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.09.2025 12:35 |
| Story ID: | 500069 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 114 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Legal Precision, Maritime Mastery Aboard USS Gerald R. Ford, by PO2 Jacob Mattingly, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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