The amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) successfully completed a Maintenance and Material Management (3M) 1.4 inspection, Oct. 13.

The 3M 1.4 inspection was conducted by the Afloat Training Group Western Pacific (ATGWP) to re-certify Bonhomme Richard's 3M program and ensure all Sailors are completing maintenance in accordance with the 3M program instruction.

"As a 3M representative, I am responsible for ensuring that commands are properly manned, trained and equipped to keep the ship mission ready by verifying that the maintenance is being properly conducted," said Lt. Lonny Mcleod, an ATGWP supply officer, from Ann Arbor, Mich. "It is imperative that Sailors know how to perform maintenance on the equipment that keeps the ship in working condition."

All ships under inspection are thoroughly evaluated on multiple facets of the 3M program, said Master Chief Ship's Serviceman Derrek Robinson, an ATGWP senior assessment leader, from Saluda, S.C.

"Throughout the inspection I look at every aspect of the 3M program when assessing a command," said Robinson. "Inspectors determine the performance of a command based on their Scheduling and Execution Effectiveness Review (SEER) and their Current Ship's Maintenance Project (CSMP), as well as, confirm that the work center supervisors and qualified maintenance persons are properly conducting their maintenance."

Robinson said he was amazed with Bonhomme Richard's effective implementation of the 3M program, which, he said was directly reflected in the work ethic of the crew coordinating and maintaining it.

"I was very impressed with the overall attitude of BHR's Sailors," said Robinson. "They are very professional, respectful, motivated and have a supportive attitude. They take any critique to heart and they are receptive to feedback."

As part of the 1.4 inspection, qualified maintenance persons from each department were randomly selected to perform spot checks on equipment that had been previously maintained in accordance with a 3M Maintenance Requirement Card (MRC).

The crew was assessed on more than 300 spot checks and received a 96 percent passing rate.

"The ship's spot check performance was the best I've seen," said Senior Chief Electronics Technician Justin Marlatt, an ATGWP senior assessor, from Waco, Texas.

Religious Programs Specialist Seaman Luis Castro, from Goiania, Brazil, said that although the spot checks were randomly selected, he felt prepared for his evaluation.

"I wasn't nervous when I was under inspection," said Castro, "I knew that I did the maintenance correctly and all I had to do was prove that I did. I am confident in my abilities to complete my maintenance, because the maintenance requirement cards let me know what to do step-by-step, and, I am able to seek guidance from my work center supervisor if I have any questions."

Following the conclusion of the inspection, Cmdr. Rich Lebron, Bonhomme Richard's executive officer and 3M program manager, addressed Bonhomme Richard's 3M leadership and expressed his gratitude for the crew's commitment to the 3M program.

"I am incredibly proud," said Lebron. "I wanted to say thank you because there's not a single person in this room who hasn't dedicated an incredible amount of blood, sweat and tears to getting this program where it needs to be."

The successful completion of the 1.4 inspection demonstrated Bonhomme Richard's ability to maintain maximum equipment operational readiness and the certification will be valid for two years.

Bonhomme Richard, forward-deployed to Sasebo, Japan, is serving to provide a rapid-response capability in the event of a regional contingency or natural disaster.

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