The crew of aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike) reached a major milestone when they celebrated the halfway mark of the 2016 deployment, Sept. 15.

Prior to departing its homeport in Norfolk June 1, the longest time most of the crew had spent at sea was for the Composite Training Unit Exercise during the work-up cycle.

"Honestly, I didn't really know what to expect," said Master-At-Arms 2nd Class Molly Meehan. "Once I got in the rhythm of deployment, I realized how efficient and helpful it was in reaching certain goals and obtaining qualifications. We're only halfway done and I feel like I've accomplished so much."

Many aboard Ike agree with Meehan that deployment has been an amazing opportunity to take time to study and earn qualifications that were difficult to obtain in port. For the last three months, non-qualified Sailors worked on earning their enlisted surface warfare specialist (ESWS), enlisted aviation warfare specialist (EAWS) and enlisted information dominance warfare (EIDWS) pins. Their drive and dedication have earned Ike the ESWS and EAWS pennant.

"I am proud of the Sailors who put in the hard work to get their ESWS pins," said Chief Navy Career Counselor Jamie Gilbert, director of Ike's ESWS program. "With over 300 Sailors qualified since we left, I expect many more of our Sailors to get their pins during the second half of the deployment."

While working on shipboard qualifications and bettering themselves, the crew has also been relentless in support of its current mission, Operation Inherent Resolve. Everyone from the highest-ranking pilot to the lowest-ranking airman has contributed to nearly 900 combat sorties flown.

"I've spent countless hours in the weapons magazine helping to build bombs," said Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Jordan Ditro. "In the last few months, I've seen hundreds of bombs leave the ship and not come back. It's a really humbling thought that I'm part of something so big."

With 5,065 traps, 5,035 catapult shots and 5,021 aircraft launches, the flight deck has remained a busy hub for the past three months. In constant motion, Ike has executed nine strait transits and made port calls in three foreign countries while plowing through more than 25,000 nautical miles of water. The ship and crew have brought the safety and security that comes with a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the far reaches of the world.

"We have been out here for a while," said Quartermaster 2nd Class Andrew Masino. "Reaching the halfway point of this deployment is a big accomplishment in that some of us have been away from our families for a while, but we still do our jobs with the utmost professionalism."

Ike CSG is the first CSG to deploy under the new optimized fleet response plan (OFRP), a cross-community collaboration effort to better prepare the fleet in meeting combatant commander needs without straining the ships, planes and Sailors. It is also the centerpiece of the Great Green Fleet for the second half of 2016, an initiative that demonstrates efforts to transform energy use and highlight it as a strategic resource.

Ike and its CSG are deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

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