Flying out to sea when arriving at a new command can be stressful for those who have never done it before. Aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), the Air Transfer Office (ATO) is the valve through which all passengers must first pass after stepping foot on the ship. The ATO crew works diligently to make this process as smooth and stress-free as possible.

The ATO is utilized for personnel muster, as well as arrival of mail, supplies and high-priority cargo, such as replacement parts. The ATO is responsible for determining what parts and people make it aboard the ship.

“We’re like a big logistical hub,” said Lt. j.g. Kyle Estes, Abraham Lincoln’s ATO. “One of my biggest tasks is to make sure that parts and people get on and off the boat on time. I also coordinate with the entire strike group to ensure that parts and personnel get to where they need to go.”

On average, a minimum of 3,000 pounds of mail, personal luggage and parts are delivered to the ship via C-2A Greyhound, or Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD), on a daily basis. The ATO communicates with the COD squadron, the “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40, to ferry all of these things from shore bases to Abraham Lincoln.

CODs fly to either American naval bases or allied military bases in order to refuel and pick up supplies every day. These locations can vary depending on the location of the ship.

“There are constraints with how much weight the COD is able to carry,” said Estes. “The main issue I deal with is balancing high-priority people and high-priority parts. I have to figure out how many parts and people I can fit in a C-2A Greyhound in a timely matter.”

Another one of ATO’s primary duties is mustering oncoming personnel from the COD. The crew that works in the office are the people who greet new check-ins when they arrive on board.

“I enjoy being one of the people who gets to initially welcome new Sailors,” said ATO Airman Morgan Olmstead, an Abraham Lincoln Sailor working in the ATO. “It’s important to always have a smiling, friendly face when new people come in, whether it’s their first command or not. They should know that they’re joining the best crew in the fleet.”

The transiting personnel include new Sailors checking in and out of the command, Sailors coming back to the ship from a temporary assignment or leave, and distinguished visitors such as senior military officials, foreign dignitaries, politicians and media reporters. Anywhere from 22 to 40 people go through the ATO every day.

“We ensure every Sailor makes it on and off the COD safely while handling all the material on the COD in the duration of time that we’re given,” said Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Arianna Roberts, a Sailor who works in the ATO.

ATO is critical to Abraham Lincoln’s mission because the parts and people that come aboard the ship allow the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ABECSG) to retain its combat effectiveness.

“We really are playing a role in making sure that our fighting capabilities in the carrier strike group and air wing are held to a high standard,” said Estes.

ABECSG is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. With Abraham Lincoln as the flagship, deployed strike group assets include staffs, ships and aircraft of Carrier Strike Group 12 (CSG 12), Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 2, USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) and Carrier Air Wing 7 (CVW 7).

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