USS John C. Stennis' (CVN 74) Chief Petty Officer Association organized a 'Scullery Your Chief' event, June 9-10.

One hundred thirty Sailors voted for the chief petty officer they wanted to see wash dishes in the scullery and the top 12 were selected.

"This is definitely not something we do every day as chiefs," said Chief Cryptologic Technician (Collection) Matt Ward, from Fresno, California. "I'm sweating my [butt] off sending these cups and silverware through the wash. It brings me back to my [mess] cranking days about 12 years ago aboard the USS Peleliu. I checked in [and] went cranking."

The 12 chiefs involved in the event were divided into sections over the course of two days during lunch and dinner hours. Each chief worked one shift in either the aft or forward sculleries.

"I was in the scullery on the forward mess decks washing trays for an hour and some change," said Chief Religious Program Specialist Paul Drachenberg, from Houston, the event organizer. "It is humbling. It's a thankless job, and I can't honestly thank [the food service assistants] enough for what they do for the thousands of Sailors that pass through every day."

Aviation Boatswain's (Equipment) Airman Dylan Cox, from Houston, a FSA, said that having somebody else get down and dirty to give them a break was a welcomed surprise.

"I wish they would come out here more often," said Cox. "It definitely brings up the morale of all the FSAs working out here."

Providing a ready force supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific, John C. Stennis is operating as part of the Great Green Fleet on a regularly scheduled 7th Fleet deployment.

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