Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) completed Crew Certification (CREWCERT) last month, bringing the ship one step closer to sea trials and employment with her Carrier Strike Group.
Bulkeley’s CREWCERT, which took place from January 11-12, 2021, focused on the command training program, warfare leads, Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS) program, and the training teams onboard.
“Crew certification is a critical milestone event marking the transition from the maintenance phase into underway operations,” said Cmdr. Luis Gonzales, Bulkeley’s commanding officer. “For Bulkeley specifically, this was a much-needed evolution to ensure the Wolfpack and the ship were properly set up for safe operations at sea.”
CREWCERT is conducted to perform a thorough review of the ship's overall training program, and an assessment of their ability to provide an adequate number of qualified crew members to support safe operations at sea, to include sea trials.
“After a two-year modernization period, forcing leadership – at every level, from the Squadron Commodore’s experienced critique to the Captain’s assessment down to the deckplates with warfare leads and supervisory watches – to take a hard, detailed look at both individual proficiency and watch team readiness provides not only the foundation to safely navigate in restricted waters and the open ocean, but reinforces the value of the right training given to the right people at the right time,” added Gonzales.
Lt. j.g. Israel Varela, Machinist’s Mate Chief William Cedeno, Lt. Cmdr. Jack Curran, and the divisional training petty officers oversaw the complete revamp of the training and PQS programs, ensuring Bulkeley’s success during CREWCERT. Members of Destroyer Squadron 2 were also onboard to ensure the crew was qualified and ready to proceed safely to sea to support minimum underway watch qualification for evolutions required during sea trials, following a maintenance period.
Onboard inspections included Training and Operational Readiness Information Services and Training Figure of Merit, Maintenance and Material Management 3M, Antiterrorism/Force Protection ATFP, Cyber, Explosive Safety, Fleet Support Operations-Medical, and Mobility-Damage Control to name a few. The watch team replacement plan, and relational administration Client (RADM) accuracy were also evaluated to determine the safe completion of the certification.
Cmdr. Devine Johnson, Bulkeley’s executive officer, was proud of the ship and its successful completion of the certification.
“Ensuring that the crew is qualified and trained, in order to get the ship underway for the first time in more than two years, was one of my highest priorities,” said Johnson. “Despite being in an extended maintenance availability, we have been able to maintain proficiency in key watch positions through a steady strain training approach and aggressive use of tactical and navigation simulators. Our Immediate Superior In Charge conducted a thorough review of watchbills, instructions and level of knowledge to ensure that Bulkeley is absolutely ready to exit the maintenance phase and return to underway operations.”
Having CREWCERT done, the ship and her crew will continue through their Readiness Evaluation 4 (READ-E 4). READ-E 4 is a Type Commander–led assessment of the ship’s readiness to exit the maintenance phase and is nominally conducted in the last three weeks of the maintenance phase in order to ensure safe transit out to sea. It is comprised of six events: main reduction gear health assessment, light off assessment, crew certification, dock trials and fast cruise, squadron/group staff navigation assessment, and contractor sea trials.
Gonzales concluded, “while I never doubted the Wolfpack’s ability to take Bulkeley back to sea safely, emerging through a very successful CREWCERT event simply provides factual data across multiple assessors that we can do the nation’s business and meet fleet tasking.”