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Lincoln Sailors Work Outside of Ratings, Save Navy Money
Story Number: NNS130415-07
4/15/2013

By Seaman Phylicia Hanson, USS Abraham Lincoln Public Affairs

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- A thousand dollars here, a thousand dollars there. In the middle of a multi-billion dollar-RCOH, who cares, right? The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) crew working at Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipyard's Light Industrial Facility (LIFAC)does.

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Sailors assigned to Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipyard's LIFAC continue to save the Navy money by learning new jobs that are not traditionally a part of their ratings.

LIFAC is where Lincoln Sailors create and restore materials for the ship, including watertight doors, non-watertight doors and ready room chairs. They also create new items, such as funnels and deck drain covers.

"We had an order come in to make all new deck drain covers for the entire ship," said Machinery Repairman 2nd Class Nathanael Goodwin. "Over a period of two weeks, we cut and hand punched the holes for 2,000 deck drain covers."

The Lincoln Sailors at LIFAC come from different rates and departments aboard ship. But LIFAC Sailors are working outside of their rate, meaning that they are also working outside of their comfort zone and usual skill setting.

"We are going through a lot of trial and error; every day having to learn something new," said Aviation Machinist Mate 2nd Class Perry Anderson. "It took the shop about six months to qualify everyone on all of the machines we use here. Thankfully, the (USS Theodore Roosevelt) Sailors are still here. We are learning a lot from them as we start to fill their shoes."

Among the many machines at LIFAC are the blast booths. This is where doors and other mechanisms are sandblasted down to bare metal. Near the blast booths are booths for regular painting on non-watertight doors. It's with these stations that Sailors are able to do a lot of different jobs to save the Navy as much money as possible.

"I am one of the people on the 'door team' and we are the ones who blast, repair and repaint the watertight and non-watertight doors," said Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 3rd Class Bryant Guest. "We blast and then paint. We are using a new process for ships known as 'powder coating'. It is an alternative to painting. Powder coating lasts 10 times longer than regular paint, won't rust, is environmentally safer, is an easier process and it takes less time to complete."

Learning how to become knowledgeable and qualified on the welding stations, blasting bays, paint rooms, machinery to measure and cut steel, and Chem Labs has also had its own set of challenges for each individual Sailor.

"It is really important to reuse as much as we can as far as materials go," said Senior Chief Aviation Machinist Mate Roberto Reyes. "With all the different cut backs in funding the Navy is experiencing right now, we try to use the fullest extent of each material we are sent to further our efforts without waste."

For more news from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn72/.