#she can rebuild it into a proper and respectable port

[reliquiaenfr]

What's a dragon you have that has gone unnoticed but you are really proud of the story you have come up for them? (I love hearing people ramble about their underrated favorites).

honestly i have no idea which dragons in my lair are noticed by other people and which aren't. but i do know that i am more well-known for my pear dragons than anything else (RIGHTLY SO), so it makes sense that a non-pear dragon would fly under the radar, so here's Lady Ardyn.

i was going through a peach phase at the time, and i was like hey now, peach/bubblegum/caramel seems like a fun combo. the outfit came together so nicely as well, i really wanted to try using one of the big and unwieldy festival pieces and it was like every time i added a new piece i was very slowly uncovering her character until there she was before me: "grieving" widow who killed her husband.

she is unapologetically inspired by mrs white from one of my all time fave movies, clue (the movie).

so lady ardyn's husband "disappeared" and the circumstances were soooooo "mysterious". when they found his body it was like oh no! who could possibly have done this! and she was obviously distraught like omg no her HUSBAND who she LOVED most DEFINITELY has been MURDERED. sad face. crying.

luckily she had her bestest friend in all the world to comfort her. quince makes great comfort food and was absolutely NOT involved (we promise). (also they are definitely NOT involved in romantic relations, no sir police officer sir, how could someone think that of her at a time like this!) lady ardyn has been very cooperative with the authorities in the hunt for whoever killed her husband and she has put up a significant monetary reward for anyone who has information.

AND, it's all entirely libellous, but those accusations that lady ardyn is now taking work as a freelance assassin who kills men who are abusing their partners, siblings, family members, etc... that's DEFAMATION and is not based on any FACTS. there are NO BODIES under quince's peach trees!

there are NO OTHER criminals on the grounds either. no one living at castle cordolium has ever committed war crimes, engaged in the reselling of stolen goods, or performed mad science rituals to create a child from dead matter. no. everyone here is NORMAL. she would never protect anyone suspected of a crime, absolutely unthinkable!

ardyn is actually the entire reason bleakwater exists - the whole tab is her fault. i didn't have a clue where to put her in my lore but i was so enamoured with her character that i had to put her SOMeWHERE, so i just made an entire island for her to preside over. she is unquestionably one of my favourite newer dragons, i would die for her.

[soukokuwu]

i live for aku angst. could you please write a scenario where he develops feelings for a fem reader during the dark era, but watches as her & dazai fall in love together? he wouldn’t be able to do anything since he’s dazai’s subordinate. but imagine them having a significant friend (ish) relationship, so when she disappears along with dazai he gets left utterly heartbroken and alone, wishing he would have said something to her when she was still with him. thank you! i love your writing

➥ genre: angst

➥ pairing: akutagawa x crush!reader, dazai x reader

➥ synopsis: akutagawa watches as you fall in love... but not with him.

➥ word count: 2k

➥ a/n: and i live for angst 😼 i really really loved this idea & i really hope you’re still here — tried a certain theme for this, hopefully you like it!! and tysm kind anony ^.^

Black and blue

You came out of the blue.

In the form of medicine for his wounds, and a cure for his aches. You were his superior, but you were unlike a certain other superior he knew. You radiated warmth and comfort — something Akutagawa didn’t know he craved. And yet you managed to instil that feeling in him within a matter of seconds.

“Dazai did this to you again?”

What was that he heard in your voice? Was it pain? Disapproval? Sadness, maybe? He was too detached from any emotion to be able to tell. Everything he knew, he learned from Dazai himself. All he wanted was the man’s approval. That was all he worked for. But you ignited a conflict in Akutagawa that he didn’t bargain for. One that he didn’t know would lead to fireworks instead of just a single spark.

“Yes,” was all he said. Was there any other way to respond? This was the first time you spoke to him, was he supposed to continue the conversation? A part of him wanted to. This was the only time a superior has shown any sort of care to him after all. So why couldn’t he get anything out?

You pressed your lips into a firm line, and he couldn’t help but notice how soft and pink they looked. You didn’t wear a lot of makeup, and his opinion was that you didn’t need it anyway. You already looked... pleasing enough to the eyes. Was that how people described someone they found... good-looking?

Endless questions darted across Akutagawa’s mind that day. But none were answered. Because how could they be, when the one questioning didn’t have the guts to say a thing in the first place?

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Akutagawa knew.

He knew you didn’t mean to. But you did it anyway. He knew why, too. Because he let you. And just like that, his walls came down. No, they didn’t crumble — he wouldn’t let them fall that easily, but still you were the only one who could take the bricks out piece by piece until the barrier was almost nonexistent.

It was like demolishing a house and rebuilding it again — just better, stronger. You painted over his grey with your red. It was your favourite color, and fitting enough; it was the color of his feelings for you.

Since that day you were always there for him. You had your own tasks, sure, but you always looked out for him when you could. And he found that days when you were especially busy were the days he felt most blue. Akutagawa found it strange though — why did you care? What did you have to gain?

And he found the answer one night, a conversation with you by the bay. You had invited him to take a walk with you, to get some proper fresh air and let off steam. But Akutagawa had read way too much into it, that he knew. Why else would he feel disappointed that there wasn’t so much as any physical contact with you? He merely stayed at a distance as he always did, and you never tried.

One fruit bore out of that night though. He learned more about you than he thought he would. You were much like him; joining the mafia because you had nowhere else, you accepted an invitation from a senior in the mafia, wanting to prove that you weren’t worthless, that you could produce something of value to someone. No wonder you looked out for him. You saw a part of yourself in him, didn’t you? You knew how lonely it felt. That night, Akutagawa felt something he never thought he would — a sense of belonging.

The longer you spoke to him that night, the larger that feeling grew. And somehow he looked at you in a way he didn’t before. It confused him, disgusted him. No, correction — he disgusted himself. Not his affection for you. Why did he feel like pursuing this; you? That night, he denied himself the chance to let you in on his feelings.

A useless kid like him doesn’t deserve you.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━���━━━━━━━━━

Akutagawa Ryuunosuke was a black sheep. But you were the golden girl.

Should he be surprised then? As he watched the way his mentor interacted with you, should he be worried? No, did he even have the right to be? But then he saw him smile at you, a smile he’d only seen formed when he was around that other guy — Oda Sakunosuke. You were... another exception? Yet again, many questions raced through his head. But one thing he knew for sure — he was turning into the green-eyed monster.

He started to notice how you reacted to Dazai. He hated how you always seemed so mesmerised whenever he walked by. He hated how your eyes twinkled whenever you talked to him — where’s that sparkle in your eye when you talked to Akutagawa? He hated how one day you just showed up with Dazai’s coat wrapped around your shoulders. He hated how much he was affected by it. It really wasn’t unexpected — next to Dazai, who would take a second look at him anyway? He wished he could be him. Then maybe you’d... He shook his head. No, maybe not even then.

What he hated the most? He couldn’t even hate the guy. He yearned for Dazai’s respect; approval, and that never changed. But then the upset dissolved into an understanding. Something in his head clicked. You belonged with Dazai. He knew next to nothing about your relationship and how it worked. But what Akutagawa did know? Dazai was a revered member of the Port Mafia, one likely to take Mori’s place as the big boss in the future. He couldn’t even lay a hit on him with Rashomon. Dazai wasn’t a formidable fighter like Chuuya either, and still he managed to beat Akutagawa into the ground. That man... was exceptional. You deserved that. You deserved the best.

That’s what Dazai was. He was the black that would take no other hue, and fittingly so he was the Port Mafia’s great white hope.

“Devour space? That sounds cool,” you had commented one day while bandaging up the cut on his wrist, one inflicted on by Dazai himself. He noticed how you didn’t comment on his barbarism as you usually would, and the usual concern in your tone never appeared. As it never did ever since the first day he saw you talk to Dazai.

“I still can’t do it.”

“If you try to imagine you’re protecting me, could you?”

You see, Akutagawa knew it was just a joke to you. And yet? His heart started pounding so fast, so loud in his chest the moment he heard it. It was a tiring dance — feeling so happy about a tiny comment and then feeling a heartache after realising your smiles, even then, were never as sweet as the ones you flashed at Dazai.

Did Dazai even love you? Or was he playing some sort of game as he usually does with women? He hated how he was praying for the latter. Hated how he wished that things would crumble for the two of you so that he could be the one to help you pick up the pieces — to be the one. Akutagawa sighed, knowing he could never get inside his head. Anyone who tried would fall into a cognitive prison. But even these selfish thoughts couldn’t last long, because Akutagawa got his answer later that day when he overheard his mentor talking to his friend.

“Odasaku, how vulnerable can humans get?”

Akutagawa is shocked at the depth of the conversation. He didn’t know Dazai was capable of talking about... emotions. He didn’t think he had any. The other man mentioned something about it being to a big extent, Akutagawa let it slip past his ears. He was more interested in what Dazai had to say.

“It’s weird. It’s like finally being seen after having lived in perpetual darkness. The light she holds, it’s small... but is it wrong of me to hope that it will grow with time?”

Was that... hope he heard in his mentor’s voice? ‘With time’? That meant the future... for all his suicidal thoughts, because of you, was Dazai really considering living? Akutagawa sighed in exasperation as he quietly walked away from the spot he eavesdropped from. He would never understand Dazai.

He never did. Especially not when the same Dazai who spoke so fondly of you was the same Dazai who shot three bullets at Akutagawa for killing the enemy. You were a saviour in more than one way. Your words echoed in his mind, and his shield came out of his will to protect you, an imaginary you. That’s why Dazai didn’t manage to shoot him dead this time. Because of you.

“Oh? See? You can do it. How many times have I told you? Cutting open unfortunate hostages isn’t the only thing you’re good for. You should be able to use your powers for defense too.”

“I’ve never been able to successfully do that before this.”

“But you just did. Isn’t that great?”

Akutagawa wanted so badly to argue back in an act of rebellion, to yell out that it was only because of you that he was able to do it. But the words got stuck in his throat. And Dazai’s threat embedded themselves in his brain. He always wondered if Dazai knew his subordinate harboured feelings for his partner. But Akutagawa already knew the answer. Nothing escapes that man. But he’s sure that he doesn’t view him as a threat, not even as competition, no.

To Dazai, it was probably just another reason to hate him; another reason to justify why he was in Dazai’s black books.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

It was a complete bolt from the blue.

Akutagawa remembered the day he realised he had lost two important people in his life. He thought that watching as you fell in love with Dazai was the most horrible emotion he could feel. He was wrong. Losing the two of you, not even being able to see either of you, not knowing where either of you vanished to — nothing could top that agony.

The day Oda died, the two of you disappeared along with him.

You took down his walls, painted the insides red, furnished it and made it vibrant again and then suddenly you were gone. You left him in the dark. You invaded his solitary space — slowly, ironically without any violence, and yet the moment you left, it was anything but peaceful for Akutagawa. No, you and Dazai left him even lonelier than before. You graced him with your presence and healed him, only to break him down even more than he already was before he met you.

Everything he heard about love after you left just seemed like everyone viewed the world through rose-coloured glasses. Nothing he found could describe the anguish he felt over losing you; or the regret he held for not telling you how he felt — the remorse that he knew wouldn’t change a thing, and yet wished he did anyway.

Because who knew when he would ever see you again, if he would? What if he never did? Yet ironically, your memory is always there — you’re sitting at the edge of his periphery, taunting him with your smile, tempting him to go and find you. And Akutagawa thinks of it everyday; what it would be like to find you, to hold you, to tell you everything he should have when you were still there.

However, a part of him nags at him not to. After all, the grass is always greener on the other side — maybe because Akutagawa isn’t there. And as an image of you flashed in his mind yet again, he scoffed at himself.

Beautiful. That’s the word he was looking for that first day you touched his soul.

You’re beautiful.

tags: @yokelish @gogolparadise @fyowyn-writes

[courtneytincher]

USS George Washington aircraft carrier marks 50 percent completion in ship’s force work package

The aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) has reached the halfway point of the ship’s force work package (SFWP) in its mid-life refueling complex overhaul at Newport News Shipyard, according to the U.S. Navy.

Refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) of USS George Washington nuclear-powered aircraft carrier started approximately two years ago, becoming the 6th Nimitz-class carrier to undergo the unprecedented and unequaled four-year-long overhaul period.

According to a statement released by Petty Officer 2nd Class Marlan Sawyer, during George Washington’s time in the shipyard, she will overhaul and upgrade the combat systems and other warfighting capabilities, improve the ship’s material condition, and refuel the reactors. The work put in for the SFWP during RCOH, with additional work completed by Newport News Shipyard, ensures that George Washington will leave the shipyard as the world’s most technologically-advanced capital warship, a validation of the type of work that can only be accomplished at one shipyard in the entire nation.

Every department has chipped away at reaching significant milestones the last two years, and their combined efforts have played a critical role in the ship reaching the halfway point.

“We have the opportunity to do two things everyday: solve interesting problems and lead,” said Capt. Daryle Cardone, executive officer of George Washington. “That’s what our Sailors do each and every day they come into the shipyard and aboard our ship. It’s the energy and motivation they bring to each challenge that has enabled us to reach this momentous halfway point in the ship’s force work package and it’s what will drive us to the finish line.”

Some Sailors been on board since RCOH began and the task of its completion seemed daunting at first.

“It’s huge [reaching the halfway point],” said Electronics Technician 3rd Class Kade Gibbs, a Sailor assigned to the combat systems department aboard George Washington. “When I first got here, it felt like we weren’t even close to being done. But now…we’re halfway.”

Gibbs checked aboard George Washington in October 2016, and has since seen a huge shift in personnel, equipment, and the ship itself. It is certainly true that an RCOH tour is an unconventional one, and Gibbs has seen that firsthand.

“I’m really excited to see my equipment onboard,” said Gibbs. “Maybe even see it alive. Light up. I have a little more than three years to go on this ship. I feel like it’ll be an experience to at least see [the ship] up and moving and not a skeleton in a dry dock.”

Despite the obstacles and challenges these Sailors face, their initiative and toughness enable them to push forward and complete the important mission of returning George Washington to operational status.

“As far as getting the ship out of the shipyard, for the next half: just keep on the grind and keep pushing forward,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Eric Lee, the work center supervisor of production management (PM) 13 team, also known as deck team. “When you meet an obstacle and require help, seek help, and make it over the obstacle. Don’t stop. Find a solution. Treat every day as a different day. Don’t carry the weight of yesterday into today.”

In the coming months, the dry dock in which George Washington is currently being worked will be flooded, marking another major milestone in the ship’s life cycle. Flooding the dry dock will require the collaboration between many of the key stakeholders at Newport News Shipyard, and George Washington’s deck department will be at the forefront of the effort, just as they will be when the ship enters and leaves ports the world over.

“The biggest challenge for us [so far] was coordinating with the shipyard and working together to get the anchors put on in a timely manner,” said Chief Boatswain’s Mate Myren Fripp, a leading chief petty officer in deck department aboard George Washington. “Making sure all of the equipment needed for this evolution was up and running and making sure we had all of the right people in the right places at the right times definitely helped the process run smoothly.”

The work accomplished during the first half of the SFWP, marking the notional halfway point of the ship’s life cycle, will enable George Washington to sail the high seas for another 25 years. Although each department is responsible for restoring their respective equipment back to operational capability, completing the overhaul of these systems requires cooperation between all departments.

“If not for PM teams, every department would be tasked with their everyday duties as well as getting their spaces completed for RCOH, and that’s a lot to ask from a ship that’s already undermanned,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 1st Class Todd Brockett, the leading petty officer of PM 13. “Knowing that the epoxy decks we lay and the hard work we’ve put into every space we’ve touched is a great feeling. The spaces we are working in now will be walked on the rest of the ship’s remaining 25 years.”

The current RCOH environment has also encouraged departments and Sailors to find unique ways to gain in-rate experience while ensuring critical maintenance and ship’s force work is accomplished.

Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Larissa Pruitt, auxiliary division’s leading petty officer, said the shipyard period has presented certain challenges and opportunities for her division.

“Transitioning from normal operations to RCOH has given us the opportunity to completely disassemble our equipment and learn the proper way to rebuild it, in order to restore it to an operational state,” said Pruitt. “I wouldn’t do anything differently as this shipyard period has made us better machinist’s mates and a stronger family.”

Pruitt added that while the department has had to overcome obstacles along the way, meeting certain checkpoints by predetermined dates has assisted in reaching projected milestones.

“Effectively communicating with Newport News Shipyard contractors on a daily basis ensures project milestones are completed on or before the requested due date,” said Pruitt.

The efforts of each Sailor play a critical role in returning George Washington to its place as the Navy’s premier and always ready aircraft carrier, regardless of where she will be called upon in defense of her nation. As milestones are accomplished through the next two years of George Washington’s RCOH period, Sailors will be at the ready to propel the ship and her crew past the finish line and ultimately back out to the fleet as the most advanced capital warship in the world.

from Defence Blog

The aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) has reached the halfway point of the ship’s force work package (SFWP) in its mid-life refueling complex overhaul at Newport News Shipyard, according to the U.S. Navy.

Refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) of USS George Washington nuclear-powered aircraft carrier started approximately two years ago, becoming the 6th Nimitz-class carrier to undergo the unprecedented and unequaled four-year-long overhaul period.

According to a statement released by Petty Officer 2nd Class Marlan Sawyer, during George Washington’s time in the shipyard, she will overhaul and upgrade the combat systems and other warfighting capabilities, improve the ship’s material condition, and refuel the reactors. The work put in for the SFWP during RCOH, with additional work completed by Newport News Shipyard, ensures that George Washington will leave the shipyard as the world’s most technologically-advanced capital warship, a validation of the type of work that can only be accomplished at one shipyard in the entire nation.

Every department has chipped away at reaching significant milestones the last two years, and their combined efforts have played a critical role in the ship reaching the halfway point.

“We have the opportunity to do two things everyday: solve interesting problems and lead,” said Capt. Daryle Cardone, executive officer of George Washington. “That’s what our Sailors do each and every day they come into the shipyard and aboard our ship. It’s the energy and motivation they bring to each challenge that has enabled us to reach this momentous halfway point in the ship’s force work package and it’s what will drive us to the finish line.”

Some Sailors been on board since RCOH began and the task of its completion seemed daunting at first.

“It’s huge [reaching the halfway point],” said Electronics Technician 3rd Class Kade Gibbs, a Sailor assigned to the combat systems department aboard George Washington. “When I first got here, it felt like we weren’t even close to being done. But now…we’re halfway.”

Gibbs checked aboard George Washington in October 2016, and has since seen a huge shift in personnel, equipment, and the ship itself. It is certainly true that an RCOH tour is an unconventional one, and Gibbs has seen that firsthand.

“I’m really excited to see my equipment onboard,” said Gibbs. “Maybe even see it alive. Light up. I have a little more than three years to go on this ship. I feel like it’ll be an experience to at least see [the ship] up and moving and not a skeleton in a dry dock.”

Despite the obstacles and challenges these Sailors face, their initiative and toughness enable them to push forward and complete the important mission of returning George Washington to operational status.

“As far as getting the ship out of the shipyard, for the next half: just keep on the grind and keep pushing forward,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Eric Lee, the work center supervisor of production management (PM) 13 team, also known as deck team. “When you meet an obstacle and require help, seek help, and make it over the obstacle. Don’t stop. Find a solution. Treat every day as a different day. Don’t carry the weight of yesterday into today.”

In the coming months, the dry dock in which George Washington is currently being worked will be flooded, marking another major milestone in the ship’s life cycle. Flooding the dry dock will require the collaboration between many of the key stakeholders at Newport News Shipyard, and George Washington’s deck department will be at the forefront of the effort, just as they will be when the ship enters and leaves ports the world over.

“The biggest challenge for us [so far] was coordinating with the shipyard and working together to get the anchors put on in a timely manner,” said Chief Boatswain’s Mate Myren Fripp, a leading chief petty officer in deck department aboard George Washington. “Making sure all of the equipment needed for this evolution was up and running and making sure we had all of the right people in the right places at the right times definitely helped the process run smoothly.”

The work accomplished during the first half of the SFWP, marking the notional halfway point of the ship’s life cycle, will enable George Washington to sail the high seas for another 25 years. Although each department is responsible for restoring their respective equipment back to operational capability, completing the overhaul of these systems requires cooperation between all departments.

“If not for PM teams, every department would be tasked with their everyday duties as well as getting their spaces completed for RCOH, and that’s a lot to ask from a ship that’s already undermanned,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 1st Class Todd Brockett, the leading petty officer of PM 13. “Knowing that the epoxy decks we lay and the hard work we’ve put into every space we’ve touched is a great feeling. The spaces we are working in now will be walked on the rest of the ship’s remaining 25 years.”

The current RCOH environment has also encouraged departments and Sailors to find unique ways to gain in-rate experience while ensuring critical maintenance and ship’s force work is accomplished.

Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Larissa Pruitt, auxiliary division’s leading petty officer, said the shipyard period has presented certain challenges and opportunities for her division.

“Transitioning from normal operations to RCOH has given us the opportunity to completely disassemble our equipment and learn the proper way to rebuild it, in order to restore it to an operational state,” said Pruitt. “I wouldn’t do anything differently as this shipyard period has made us better machinist’s mates and a stronger family.”

Pruitt added that while the department has had to overcome obstacles along the way, meeting certain checkpoints by predetermined dates has assisted in reaching projected milestones.

“Effectively communicating with Newport News Shipyard contractors on a daily basis ensures project milestones are completed on or before the requested due date,” said Pruitt.

The efforts of each Sailor play a critical role in returning George Washington to its place as the Navy’s premier and always ready aircraft carrier, regardless of where she will be called upon in defense of her nation. As milestones are accomplished through the next two years of George Washington’s RCOH period, Sailors will be at the ready to propel the ship and her crew past the finish line and ultimately back out to the fleet as the most advanced capital warship in the world.

via IFTTT

[courtneytincher]

USS George Washington aircraft carrier marks 50 percent completion in ship’s force work package

The aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) has reached the halfway point of the ship’s force work package (SFWP) in its mid-life refueling complex overhaul at Newport News Shipyard, according to the U.S. Navy.

Refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) of USS George Washington nuclear-powered aircraft carrier started approximately two years ago, becoming the 6th Nimitz-class carrier to undergo the unprecedented and unequaled four-year-long overhaul period.

According to a statement released by Petty Officer 2nd Class Marlan Sawyer, during George Washington’s time in the shipyard, she will overhaul and upgrade the combat systems and other warfighting capabilities, improve the ship’s material condition, and refuel the reactors. The work put in for the SFWP during RCOH, with additional work completed by Newport News Shipyard, ensures that George Washington will leave the shipyard as the world’s most technologically-advanced capital warship, a validation of the type of work that can only be accomplished at one shipyard in the entire nation.

Every department has chipped away at reaching significant milestones the last two years, and their combined efforts have played a critical role in the ship reaching the halfway point.

“We have the opportunity to do two things everyday: solve interesting problems and lead,” said Capt. Daryle Cardone, executive officer of George Washington. “That’s what our Sailors do each and every day they come into the shipyard and aboard our ship. It’s the energy and motivation they bring to each challenge that has enabled us to reach this momentous halfway point in the ship’s force work package and it’s what will drive us to the finish line.”

Some Sailors been on board since RCOH began and the task of its completion seemed daunting at first.

“It’s huge [reaching the halfway point],” said Electronics Technician 3rd Class Kade Gibbs, a Sailor assigned to the combat systems department aboard George Washington. “When I first got here, it felt like we weren’t even close to being done. But now…we’re halfway.”

Gibbs checked aboard George Washington in October 2016, and has since seen a huge shift in personnel, equipment, and the ship itself. It is certainly true that an RCOH tour is an unconventional one, and Gibbs has seen that firsthand.

“I’m really excited to see my equipment onboard,” said Gibbs. “Maybe even see it alive. Light up. I have a little more than three years to go on this ship. I feel like it’ll be an experience to at least see [the ship] up and moving and not a skeleton in a dry dock.”

Despite the obstacles and challenges these Sailors face, their initiative and toughness enable them to push forward and complete the important mission of returning George Washington to operational status.

“As far as getting the ship out of the shipyard, for the next half: just keep on the grind and keep pushing forward,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Eric Lee, the work center supervisor of production management (PM) 13 team, also known as deck team. “When you meet an obstacle and require help, seek help, and make it over the obstacle. Don’t stop. Find a solution. Treat every day as a different day. Don’t carry the weight of yesterday into today.”

In the coming months, the dry dock in which George Washington is currently being worked will be flooded, marking another major milestone in the ship’s life cycle. Flooding the dry dock will require the collaboration between many of the key stakeholders at Newport News Shipyard, and George Washington’s deck department will be at the forefront of the effort, just as they will be when the ship enters and leaves ports the world over.

“The biggest challenge for us [so far] was coordinating with the shipyard and working together to get the anchors put on in a timely manner,” said Chief Boatswain’s Mate Myren Fripp, a leading chief petty officer in deck department aboard George Washington. “Making sure all of the equipment needed for this evolution was up and running and making sure we had all of the right people in the right places at the right times definitely helped the process run smoothly.”

The work accomplished during the first half of the SFWP, marking the notional halfway point of the ship’s life cycle, will enable George Washington to sail the high seas for another 25 years. Although each department is responsible for restoring their respective equipment back to operational capability, completing the overhaul of these systems requires cooperation between all departments.

“If not for PM teams, every department would be tasked with their everyday duties as well as getting their spaces completed for RCOH, and that’s a lot to ask from a ship that’s already undermanned,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 1st Class Todd Brockett, the leading petty officer of PM 13. “Knowing that the epoxy decks we lay and the hard work we’ve put into every space we’ve touched is a great feeling. The spaces we are working in now will be walked on the rest of the ship’s remaining 25 years.”

The current RCOH environment has also encouraged departments and Sailors to find unique ways to gain in-rate experience while ensuring critical maintenance and ship’s force work is accomplished.

Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Larissa Pruitt, auxiliary division’s leading petty officer, said the shipyard period has presented certain challenges and opportunities for her division.

“Transitioning from normal operations to RCOH has given us the opportunity to completely disassemble our equipment and learn the proper way to rebuild it, in order to restore it to an operational state,” said Pruitt. “I wouldn’t do anything differently as this shipyard period has made us better machinist’s mates and a stronger family.”

Pruitt added that while the department has had to overcome obstacles along the way, meeting certain checkpoints by predetermined dates has assisted in reaching projected milestones.

“Effectively communicating with Newport News Shipyard contractors on a daily basis ensures project milestones are completed on or before the requested due date,” said Pruitt.

The efforts of each Sailor play a critical role in returning George Washington to its place as the Navy’s premier and always ready aircraft carrier, regardless of where she will be called upon in defense of her nation. As milestones are accomplished through the next two years of George Washington’s RCOH period, Sailors will be at the ready to propel the ship and her crew past the finish line and ultimately back out to the fleet as the most advanced capital warship in the world.

from Defence Blog

The aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) has reached the halfway point of the ship’s force work package (SFWP) in its mid-life refueling complex overhaul at Newport News Shipyard, according to the U.S. Navy.

Refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) of USS George Washington nuclear-powered aircraft carrier started approximately two years ago, becoming the 6th Nimitz-class carrier to undergo the unprecedented and unequaled four-year-long overhaul period.

According to a statement released by Petty Officer 2nd Class Marlan Sawyer, during George Washington’s time in the shipyard, she will overhaul and upgrade the combat systems and other warfighting capabilities, improve the ship’s material condition, and refuel the reactors. The work put in for the SFWP during RCOH, with additional work completed by Newport News Shipyard, ensures that George Washington will leave the shipyard as the world’s most technologically-advanced capital warship, a validation of the type of work that can only be accomplished at one shipyard in the entire nation.

Every department has chipped away at reaching significant milestones the last two years, and their combined efforts have played a critical role in the ship reaching the halfway point.

“We have the opportunity to do two things everyday: solve interesting problems and lead,” said Capt. Daryle Cardone, executive officer of George Washington. “That’s what our Sailors do each and every day they come into the shipyard and aboard our ship. It’s the energy and motivation they bring to each challenge that has enabled us to reach this momentous halfway point in the ship’s force work package and it’s what will drive us to the finish line.”

Some Sailors been on board since RCOH began and the task of its completion seemed daunting at first.

“It’s huge [reaching the halfway point],” said Electronics Technician 3rd Class Kade Gibbs, a Sailor assigned to the combat systems department aboard George Washington. “When I first got here, it felt like we weren’t even close to being done. But now…we’re halfway.”

Gibbs checked aboard George Washington in October 2016, and has since seen a huge shift in personnel, equipment, and the ship itself. It is certainly true that an RCOH tour is an unconventional one, and Gibbs has seen that firsthand.

“I’m really excited to see my equipment onboard,” said Gibbs. “Maybe even see it alive. Light up. I have a little more than three years to go on this ship. I feel like it’ll be an experience to at least see [the ship] up and moving and not a skeleton in a dry dock.”

Despite the obstacles and challenges these Sailors face, their initiative and toughness enable them to push forward and complete the important mission of returning George Washington to operational status.

“As far as getting the ship out of the shipyard, for the next half: just keep on the grind and keep pushing forward,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Eric Lee, the work center supervisor of production management (PM) 13 team, also known as deck team. “When you meet an obstacle and require help, seek help, and make it over the obstacle. Don’t stop. Find a solution. Treat every day as a different day. Don’t carry the weight of yesterday into today.”

In the coming months, the dry dock in which George Washington is currently being worked will be flooded, marking another major milestone in the ship’s life cycle. Flooding the dry dock will require the collaboration between many of the key stakeholders at Newport News Shipyard, and George Washington’s deck department will be at the forefront of the effort, just as they will be when the ship enters and leaves ports the world over.

“The biggest challenge for us [so far] was coordinating with the shipyard and working together to get the anchors put on in a timely manner,” said Chief Boatswain’s Mate Myren Fripp, a leading chief petty officer in deck department aboard George Washington. “Making sure all of the equipment needed for this evolution was up and running and making sure we had all of the right people in the right places at the right times definitely helped the process run smoothly.”

The work accomplished during the first half of the SFWP, marking the notional halfway point of the ship’s life cycle, will enable George Washington to sail the high seas for another 25 years. Although each department is responsible for restoring their respective equipment back to operational capability, completing the overhaul of these systems requires cooperation between all departments.

“If not for PM teams, every department would be tasked with their everyday duties as well as getting their spaces completed for RCOH, and that’s a lot to ask from a ship that’s already undermanned,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 1st Class Todd Brockett, the leading petty officer of PM 13. “Knowing that the epoxy decks we lay and the hard work we’ve put into every space we’ve touched is a great feeling. The spaces we are working in now will be walked on the rest of the ship’s remaining 25 years.”

The current RCOH environment has also encouraged departments and Sailors to find unique ways to gain in-rate experience while ensuring critical maintenance and ship’s force work is accomplished.

Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Larissa Pruitt, auxiliary division’s leading petty officer, said the shipyard period has presented certain challenges and opportunities for her division.

“Transitioning from normal operations to RCOH has given us the opportunity to completely disassemble our equipment and learn the proper way to rebuild it, in order to restore it to an operational state,” said Pruitt. “I wouldn’t do anything differently as this shipyard period has made us better machinist’s mates and a stronger family.”

Pruitt added that while the department has had to overcome obstacles along the way, meeting certain checkpoints by predetermined dates has assisted in reaching projected milestones.

“Effectively communicating with Newport News Shipyard contractors on a daily basis ensures project milestones are completed on or before the requested due date,” said Pruitt.

The efforts of each Sailor play a critical role in returning George Washington to its place as the Navy’s premier and always ready aircraft carrier, regardless of where she will be called upon in defense of her nation. As milestones are accomplished through the next two years of George Washington’s RCOH period, Sailors will be at the ready to propel the ship and her crew past the finish line and ultimately back out to the fleet as the most advanced capital warship in the world.

via IFTTT