Do you normally operate on two engines, or always on four?
Sometimes just on one. It depends on what I’m doing. One engine ahead at 10 percent – 10 percent is basically the slowest speed I can go – is about an 8-knot speed. There’s no need for me to run around here and just put gas through the engines. We think fuel conservation out here, and how long can I stretch it underway. Can I stay out here for seven days? If I’m on my way back, do I have enough reserves in case something were to happen, and they need to retask me, or if I have an interaction of some sort? So we’re always thinking fuel conservation, just like DDGs or any other ship.
How about maintenance? This is a harsh environment.
You see the cars out here broken down on the side of the highway all the time. Why? Because of the heat. Heat is a constant thing. So we have to perform the maintenance.
How do you see things differently as a forward-deployed ship as opposed to coming across for a deployment?
There’s pros and cons to both. Being in the area, you can get underway and possibly be a little complacent. When they’re coming across the pond, I think they start to shift their mindset – they start to focus more on the war fighting, the tactical aspect – they realize that they’re about to go into an unknown area of the world, potentially. I’ve done a hundred sea and anchor details – over a hundred sea an anchor details. You tell me what cruiser and destroyer CO has done that. And I’ve done it with an undermanned crew with limited experience. And we’ve done it well. Some people say we’re small, with shallow draft, so it’s easier. But, the requirements to navigate safely do not change because of my ship’s size, or draft, or anything like that. I have to keep the ship between the navigational hazards, like anyone else.
This is the most challenging and rewarding duty assignment I’ve had in my 20 years in the Navy. Everyone says that they only get better. You really understand what it means to work hard every day.
You can never let your guard down.
You always have to have the situational awareness and think to yourselves, anytime, anything can happen. That’s what I struggle with as a leader. I cannot teach initiative. I cannot teach drive. I can show them ownership. I can speak to good stewardship, I can speak to what I think it takes to become a good man or woman, to be a great sailor. But unfortunately, I can’t give them what I have in my heart. I can give them my knowledge, but that doesn’t equate to anything. They have to make those decisions on their own when the time comes.
The coastal patrol ship USS Firebolt (PC10) fires a Griffin Missile during a test and proficiency fire. Firebolt, assigned to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 55, is supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joshua Bryce Bruns
Do you get amphibs out here?
We do get ESGs in this theater? The PCs do work with them, from time to time, but I have not worked with them.
You have the Puma UAV. How’s that working out for you?
It works great. We op test and make sure it works. Anytime you launch anything or do anything, it’s an all-hands evolution. And because it’s an aircraft, it’s treated like a pilot flying an F-18. We have to ensure crew rest. The operators have to [get] special physicals. They go to a special school. But it’s great. It extends my height of eye, it gets me some video that can come back to the ship. We can send video ashore, but bandwidth becomes an issue. There are other aerial assets.
How about Griffin?
We have it. We just conducted the annual exercise. We have launchers on the port and starboard side. There are four missiles in each launcher. We don’t carry reloads.
What else do you want to say about this assignment, and your ship and crew?
This is the most challenging and rewarding duty assignment I’ve had in my 20 years in the Navy. Everyone says that they only get better. You really understand what it means to work hard every day. Sometimes I can go to gun quarters at 1400 in the middle of the day and it’ll take them 10 minutes to man up. But I can call it at 3 o’clock in the morning, and guys will show up in their skivvies and their boondockers and be manned and ready in three minutes on a moment’s notice. For some reason, some way, these sailors know when it’s a real deal and when it’s not. You know, 100 percent these are the guys that I want to go to war with, if I have to.