Aboard Pre-Commissioning Unit John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), Sailors are sharpening one of the most fundamental skills in shipboard life: fighting the ship. At the center of that effort is the Flying Squad, a rapid-response damage control team that serves as the first line of defense for fire, flooding, and other casualties at sea.
“Flying Squad is pretty much our all-star firefighting team while out at sea,” said Damage Controlman 2nd Class Stephen Barrera Vega. “Even in port, we keep Flying Squad members around just in case something happens. We still want them to man up, combat the casualty, and help out the in-port emergency team.”
Damage Controlman 3rd Class Geremy Padilla described Flying Squad as the underway counterpart to IET, built from across the command. “Flying Squad is a rapid response team we have when we are underway,” Padilla said. “It is made up of other rates. It could be an OS, it could be an HM. As long as you complete the process and qualifications, you can be part of Flying Squad and answer when a casualty is called away.”
“In the middle of the ocean, there is no fire department,” said Damage Controlman Master Chief Lavoskia Torain, DLCPO of Damage Control Division. “Flying Squad is our 911. You never know what casualties we may face at sea. That is why we train until it is second nature.”
For many Sailors, the first call to respond is unforgettable. “On carriers, when you hear the bells ring, all the nerves run through your whole body,” said Damage Controlman 3rd Class Aniah Pryor. “You have to get up and go. It is that adrenaline, always-stay-ready feeling.”
The ability to be alert and always ready to respond is what make this all-star squad so important. Barrera Vega serves as a scene leader, a role that blends technical know-how, communication, and calm under pressure.
“As scene leader, I am in charge of the location of the casualty,” he said. “I make sure my team members going in to fight the casualty have everything they need, and I keep communication flowing from the scene to the locker.”
That skillful communication comes with countless hours of experience. As an IET fire marshall, Barrera Vega continuously shares this knowledge and standard with other Sailors aboard the ship.
Integrating Sailors from many ratings is a strength, Padilla said, and it works because of deliberate training and trust. “Working with other rates who are not in our rate can be difficult sometimes, but when we give them the proper training, we come together as one team,” he said. “We are not going to let you fail, because if you fail, we all fail. Damage control will support you, teach you like family, and you will be on the team with us.”
Pryor also emphasized that qualifications and credibility matter just as much as enthusiasm. Having your qualification and being a force of enthusiasm is key.
“You do not have to be an expert, but you need to know the basics and know your steps and verbiage,” she said. “If you wear red coveralls, the coveralls we will get as flying squad member, you should know your job and be able to answer questions. I want to be that person others can count on.”
The team’s mission is straightforward: get there fast, stabilize the situation, and set conditions for follow-on response. That requires disciplined teamwork and practiced coordination.
“Being part of Flying Squad is like any sports team,” Barrera Vega said. “You have to be a team member, work together, and communicate. If you do not, things break apart. In damage control, if you have no communication and cannot work with each other, it turns into chaos and leads to disaster.”
While Flying Squad answers underway casualties, IET covers the watch when the ship is pier side with duty sections. The two groups train to common standards and often work side by side, but Flying Squad is deliberately built for at-sea tempo.
“We try to keep it kind of the all-star team,” Barrera Vega said. “We want the best of the best to join. That does not mean lower-ranking personnel cannot join, because they absolutely can. We are looking for motivated Sailors who apply themselves and learn the positions.”
Padilla added that every platform runs a little differently, and adaptability matters. Many Sailors will be bringing there prior experiences and knowledge with them here so it is an opportunity to learn.
“On different ships, Flying Squad can be run in different ways,” he said. “You have to be able to adjust and accommodate for those differences between platforms. Bringing what we learned from other commands and putting our ideas together here is good for an up-and-coming ship.”
For Sailors thinking about volunteering, the advice is simple: show up ready to learn and bring the right attitude.
“Know what you are doing, or be willing to learn,” Barrera Vega said. “Even if you do not know at first, if you apply yourself to learn the position, we will welcome you with open arms. We want everyone on board to know how to properly combat a casualty.”
Barrera Vega says the best part of the job is also the most demanding: taking the hose line forward and solving the problem. “My favorite part is actually combating the casualties,” he said. “You feel like you are doing your job, especially as a damage controlman. My job is not only to maintain equipment and train the command, but to protect the command. When I am out there protecting the ship and my fellow Sailors, it makes me feel really good.”
| Date Taken: | 10.23.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.20.2025 09:08 |
| Story ID: | 551874 |
| Location: | NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 12 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Train To Fly: 911 At Sea, by PO1 Theoplis Stewart II, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
