The blue lights cut on, reflecting off metal compasses in Sailors' hands as they chart maps atop the large table in front of them. Eyes dart back and forth as calls over the 1 Main Circuit (1MC) convey that a drill is about to begin. This is a normal day for the Sailors in USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Combat Direction Center (CDC).

These men and women are responsible for providing an operational picture for not only Truman's surface and subsurface picture, but also the strike group as a whole by defending the ship and crew from navigational hazards and enemies within the area of responsibility.

"Here aboard Truman, we are the sub-surface (ASW) module, and surface picture coordinators for the strike group," said Sonar Technician (Surface) 1st Class John Birmingham, the leading petty officer of CDC. "We ensure a clean Maritime Tactical Fusion Plot is presented to our embarked Destroyer Squadron 28 [staff] and provide forceful backup to both the ship's CDC watch officer and the strike group's surface and anti-submarine warfare coordinators."

CDC is heavily involved in Truman's Tailored Shipboard Test Availability and Final Evaluation Problem (TSTA/FEP), and their knowledge in all warfare areas is being truly put to the test. The Combat Systems Training Team is executing a diverse variety of drills and scenarios to test the division's ability to defend against threats. Basic fundamentals such as analyzation and mission planning are tested, as well as their abilities to detect, track and classify contacts.

"In the CDC, strategic and tactical information is displayed on large screens and monitors," said Operations Specialist 2nd Class Jason Morton. "It is analyzed and displayed to aid the tactical action officer (TAO) and warfare commanders in defending the battle group from any possible threat."

Simultaneously integrated with other training teams onboard, the TAO makes announcements over the 1MC, providing the crew with situational awareness of the threat environment. The timeline leading into General Quarters (GQ) is controlled by the operational tempo in CDC as they aid the TAO in defending the ship against simulated attacks. Among those aiding the TAO are fire controlmen.

"As [fire controlmen], our job is to drill watchstanders in their ability to respond to duds and misfires in the missile launchers as well as gun jams in the [Close-In Weapons System] mounts," said Fire Controlman 1st Class Marcus Mack. "Watchstanders have to know how to effectively fight the ship in a case where one or more weapon systems is unavailable due to equipment casualty. Watch teams are also drilled on how to restore said equipment in case of such a casualty."

The fire controlmen, sonar technicians and operations specialists work closely together in order to reach their common goal - keep the ship and its crew safe from threats.

CDC also practices proper Anti-Submarine Warfare tactics, one of them being the use of the AN/SLQ-25C, otherwise known as NIXIE - a towed torpedo countermeasure which is designed to "seduce" the enemy torpedoes, so they don't hit the ship.

"Without coordination of these entities," said Birmingham. "Protecting the Truman from its greatest foe, the submarine, could be nearly impossible."

Sailors perform a series of routine tasks including weekly maintenance on equipment, standing watches in order to maintain the picture of the strike group, creating mission briefings for future operations, as well as providing post-mission intelligence analysis to both the strike group and the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI).

"The division is small, but a force to be reckoned with, said Birmingham. "The motto in CDC is 'In God We Trust, All Others We Track.'"

Truman is currently underway conducting Tailored Shipboard Test Availability and Final Evaluation Problem (TSTA/FEP) in preparation for future operations.

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