"Communicate, communicate, communicate," said Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Charleston Hines, the leading chief petty officer of the air department's crash and salvage team. "You all know this drill. Safety is paramount. Slow is fast, but don't move too slow. Alright, you all know the steps. Let's knock this out."

The crash and salvage team is an aircraft carrier's flight deck firefighting and repair team.

Inside the crash and salvage team's compartment aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Hines briefs his team of 22 Sailors before phase two of a three-phase drill, which simulates a nose-first aircraft crash on the flight deck.

Phase I of the drill involves the entire air department fighting a fire caused by a simulated aircraft crash on the flight deck. Essential to fighting the fire are the Sailors wearing silver-colored proximity suits from the crash and salvage teams' truck and firefighting crew.

"We can't call the fire department; can't call 911. We have the crash and salvage team," said Hines.

The crash and salvage team take over the scene during Phase II and III after the fire has been extinguished. Phase II is about salvaging the aircraft. In this phase, the team picks up the nose of the aircraft from its impact on the flight deck. In phase III, the final phase, the team operates the crash and salvage crane, known as the Tilly, to lift the aircraft and bring it outside of the landing area.

"Don't turn your backs to the bird," said Air Boatswain Chief Warrant Officer 3 Frank Markulin. "Keep an eye out for one another and be safe. That's the main thing."

This isn't the first time that the crash and salvage team has performed this drill. However, this time the Air Training Group (ATG) was aboard to watch the drill.

ATG conducts a routine assessment during the workup cycle of an aircraft carrier before it goes on a deployment. To pass ATG's assessment, Phase II must be completed in seven minutes and Phase III must be completed in 12.

Through ATG's assessments, these drills certify that the Abraham Lincoln team is properly trained and ready to do the job - and to do the job safely.

"It's important we complete these phases quickly so we can catch any other aircraft that could possibly be ready to land," said Hines.

Abraham Lincoln's crash and salvage team passed the inspection, completing both drills with time to spare.

"[The simulation] drills the training into our heads so we can do this [with our] eyes closed," said Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman Tyrelle Person, a member of the crash and salvage team. "I feel these drills help us to safely and expeditiously save lives, which is essentially our job."

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