"I don't even think anyone on the ship knows we exist," said Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class Warren Ruth, leading petty officer of the carpentry shop aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

The Sailors who run the carpentry shop take their job seriously, and are proud of the unique aspect of their work.

"We put a lot of care into what we do, and we're proud when the job is complete," said Ruth.

A common token of commissioning or retirement ceremonies is a wooden plaque shaped as an aircraft carrier, which is also engraved with the recipient's name for a gift the service member can keep forever. Most of the jobs the shop handles consist of specialty engravings like this.

"It was special because every other time people get awarded something it's from the [Navy Exchange] NEX, or something they can buy themselves," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Jessica Pohl. "It felt unique because it was made on the ship and was part of the ship. It had a piece of the flight deck on the plaque. It was really personal."

Ruth said he likes knowing others appreciate the plaques and takes joy in the process of making them as well.

"The work is very fun and rewarding," said Ruth. "It's actually calming."

Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd Class Angel Salcido and Ruth run the carpentry shop together and are the only two Sailors assigned to it.

"The one big thing this job has taught me is patience," said Salcido. "If you mess up just once, you have to start completely over. You have to be very delicate and precise, and it calms me down."

Salcido went on to say the woodworking brought him relaxation in the work place, but also a sense of pride in what he does.

One of the projects Salcido was involved in was making the wooden plank for a burial at sea.

During a burial at sea ceremony, the wooden plank serves as a platform to send the ashes of honored service members out to sea.

"It was very cool to be part of that," said Salcido. "It showed me just how much of an impact my work can have and how important our job is."

Recognition and praise are not what motivate these Sailors. They are inspired by the craftsmanship of their work and the satisfaction of having a hand in creating a piece of art that will hold meaning for years to come.

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