Seward, July 23, 2017 —
Welcome back to another installment of CGC HEALY’s weekly blog. The crew of HEALY has been busy since our last check-in. On July 17th, HEALY moored in Seward, AK for a five day logistics stop that also gave the crew a chance to experience Alaska and rest up for our first mission. During the work days, HEALY’s engineers took on 340,000 gallons of fuel, the deck force muscled aboard over 10,000 pounds of science equipment, and dive gear, and supply division managed the onload of 10 pallets of food stores for the upcoming trip to the Arctic. During their free time, HEALY crew members took to the nearby mountains, ice fields, and glaciers to take advantage of the beautiful Alaskan scenery.
Team HEALY gained over 35 new shipmates as personnel from the CG Strike Team, USCG and Navy Dive Lockers, and CG Research and Development Center embarked HEALY in Seward, Alaska for the first science mission of Arctic West Sumer 2017. HEALY’s crew continued their aggressive training regimen, resulting in several new qualifications across all departments. BM2 Richard Wells qualified as Helm and Lookout watchstander, serving as the eyes and ears of the ship to keep everyone safe. BM2 Samuel Traver, BM3 Shannon Eubanks, BM3 Scott Mellen, BM3 Alex Shoopman, and Midshipman Samuel LePage qualified as quartermaster of the watch (QMOW). QMOWs are responsible for maintaining about ten different ship’s logs, assisting the OOD in executing the plan of the day, and helping maintain a safe navigational picture for the safety and security of all those sailing in HEALY. MK1 William Hawley and MK1 Camille Sutton qualified as technician of the watch (TOW). The TOW is responsible for doing a thorough round of the ship every two hours, and oftentimes, they are the first sent to respond to any reports of casualties aboard HEALY. Additionally, MK2 Jeffrey Bernard qualified as Fuel, Oil, and Water King (FOWK). The FOWK helps manage fuel onloads and which tanks we use fuel from, ensures proper liquid loading procedures are followed, and ensures the ship’s stability. Congratulations to our newest qualified members!
HEALY’s Navigator, BMCS Scott “Gator” Cichoracki completed his final cruise aboard a Coast Guard Cutter as he retired on July 18th. All HEALY personnel, along with several close family members were on hand to celebrate his distinguished 27 year Coast Guard career. Seward’s American Legion Post 5 hosted a reception that night on behalf of the Cichoracki family and the HEALY crew. Thank you for your service, you will be missed!
HEALY got underway on a sunny and nearly cloudless Friday morning bound for the Arctic! As HEALY pulled away from Seward in Resurrection Bay, SNCS William Taylor stood before a packed flight deck as he advanced to Culinary Specialist Third Class (CS3)! Congratulations Petty Officer Taylor!
Soon after getting underway from Seward, AK, the dive teams aboard HEALY conducted a “Dirt Dive” where they rehearsed diving procedures and reviewed emergency protocols. The evolution concluded with an exercise where a member was transported via stretcher from the fantail to the hangar.
I look forward to meeting again after our Seward port call. Check back weekly for more information on HEALY’s Arctic West Summer 2017 mission!
Very Respectfully,
ENS Sam Wood
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
USCGC HEALY (WAGB 20)
For more information about CGC Healy, please visit:
http://www.icefloe.net