NORFOLK, Va. - USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) hosted members from Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic’s (CNAL) maintenance and material management training team (3MTT) while in-port Naval Station Norfolk, Oct. 20–23.

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CNAL routinely provides training and inspections on all aircraft carriers throughout the Navy.

During the four-day-long training, 3MTT representatives like Master Chief Machinist’s Mate O.J. Miller, provided guidance to Ford Sailors on a variety of maintenance related topics.

“What we basically do is make sure the ship is trained up on 3M,” said Miller.

“We also go over OMMS [Organizational Maintenance Management System], SKED [Standardized Electronic Shipboard Scheduling Program] and zone inspections.”

Senior Chief Machinist’s Mate Wayne Durrant, Ford’s maintenance and material management coordinator (3MC), explained that everyday Sailors are completing maintenance items that range from basic to more advanced items such as damage control equipment.

“Planned maintenance system (PMS) items are similar to the regular scheduled maintenance for a car,” said Durrant. “If we do PMS in a timely manner and complete it properly, it is the number one contributing factor to mitigate or prevent corrective maintenance from being done later on.”

While completing periodic maintenance items are important, doing each item correctly is also important.

“We’re training Sailors and they will train future Sailors. If they do a maintenance item right, they are more likely to train others how to do it right,” said Miller. “We’ve trained about 500 people so far, so if they can pass that knowledge down, the future of the Navy would be impacted.”

Master Chief Machinist’s Mate Boyd Story, Ford’s 3M leading chief petty officer, said Sailors who attended the trainings get a more in-depth understanding of the tools that they use to complete all tasks related to the 3M program.

“These trainings give the work centers a chance to train to the inspection from the inspectors themselves,” said Story. “Maintenance is an all-hands effort and never stops. The team we hosted provides a forceful backup to the training that our office routinely provides.”

Miller added his most important message for Sailors around the fleet, “Keep training your relief, have a questioning attitude and continue to pass down knowledge. The entire AIRLANT team is here for you.”

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