There's no question if the ship does receive a distress call, we're ready to respond. John Rodgers really operated as a team. Reliant Mermaid was the first exercise of this type by the three nations. The shipboard team trainer is where this firefighting training is put to the ultimate test as personnel from all types of ships come together to learn how to combat all type of fire in a real-life training environment. Sailors going through the course can come from just about any rate that works on the deck of an aircraft carrier.
Crews practice on a mock-up aircraft that has jet fuel pumped to it to feed the practice fires.
Personnel also learn handling and salvage techniques for moving and lifting aircraft that may land with a collapsed landing gear. An additional 200 or so go through the shipboard team training course. Comstock became the first U.S. Navy ship to visit Port Blair, located in the Eastern Bay of Bengal. Comstock crew members gave tours to more than 1,000 Indian natives. For some Indians, this was the first time they had ever seen Americans.