Vice Adm. Mike Bowman paid a special visit to their newest Nimitz-class carrier May 18. The equipment also proved invaluable in training, enabling the Carl Vinson to begin combat operations less than two hours after arriving on station in the Arabian Gulf. The engineers were able to determine that a low-light level television component had failed and assist the ship with replacement of that component. This teleconferencing capability is a crucial step in enhancing the connectivity of Sailors to engineers. As the Navy moves into the 21st century, video tele-maintenance will provide increased operational capability through virtual technical assistance, while decreasing costs through reduced travel expenses and quicker repairs.
Students learn such things as navigation, meteorology and astronomy, just to name a few.
Bill Bonnett, the group leader, felt their time aboard would prove crucial. Bonnett said this up-close familiarization was important. I can teach them about helicopters or landing craft all I want, but they have to see the 10 or 12 Sailors supporting each aircraft, each hovercraft, working 10-12 hour days, getting tired and dirty. It gives them an appreciation for what goes into making the Navy run. He added that Essex's diversity made it ideal for this type of familiarization cruise, because it covered such a wide variety of operations, from aircraft to hovercraft to weapons.