The port visit from the San Diego-based aircraft carrier, carrying more than 70 aircraft and 5,000 crew members, was the first non-forward deployed aircraft carrier to visit Yokosuka in nearly 10 years. The short period in port was intended to allow the Carl Vinson crew time to unwind after several months underway.
“Our crew is excited and honored to have this opportunity for an on-installation port visit,” said Capt. P. Scott Miller, Vinson’s commanding officer. “Carl Vinson, the embarked air wing and our strike group staffs are looking forward to this time of relaxation and a short pause from our underway time in support of global and regional stability.”
Liberty for the crew was limited to the CFAY installation only, a precautionary measure to protect against the spread of COVID-19 on base and its neighboring community. This limitation required NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka to provide extra products and services to the ship.
“Our mission diverged dramatically from the presumption and practices of typical support for homeported ships returning from deployment, primarily due to the crew's confinement onboard CFAY,” said Angelo Vigil, NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka deputy operations director. “A significant amount and a greater variation of services were requested, required and provided successfully to support Carl Vinson.”
NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka coordinated with CFAY Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) and a husbanding service provider to set up an illuminated fleet landing area consisting of barbecues, coolers, mist fans, refrigerated storages and over 500 tables and chairs.
On the pier, Sailors were able to participate in many private associations’ fundraising events. Additionally, private vendors were brought in to sell Japanese souvenirs and trinkets that normally could only be purchased off base in order to experience some Japanese culture and make the most of their port visit.
Further, MWR food services was able to work with the ship to supply over 1000 meals each day, allowing Carl Vinson to minimize galley operations aboard, giving food service personnel a well-deserved break.
NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka not only helped the crew recuperate, but also provided quality-of-life support by transferring roughly 100 triwall boxes of mail to Carl Vinson, weighing nearly 13,000 pounds. Following the initial port visit notification, a team of military, U.S. and Japanese civilian employees began coordinating with NAVSUP headquarters, stateside postal agencies, mail processing plants and commercial airlines to support the carrier strike group’s (CSG) postal requirements.
The postal team worked late at night across four different time zones in order to expedite the CSG’s mail to Fleet Mail Center (FMC) Yokohama. Due to FMC Yokohama's efficiency in scheduling mail delivery, synchronization with airlines and transit time windows, the last batch of mail was processed for delivery to Carl Vinson barely two hours before crane services expired. This last-minute operation was completed while still meeting regional and local postal distribution and dispatching demands, both of which have remained high since COVID-19 began.
“For our team of professionals, this was a quick, high-demand mission,” said Capt. Edward Pidgeon, NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka commanding officer. “Wherever they are in the Indo-Pacific region, our mission partners will always receive the same unwavering level of support.”
NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka is one of eight FLCs under Commander, NAVSUP. Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, NAVSUP employs a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel. NAVSUP and the Navy Supply Corps conduct and enable supply chain, acquisition, operational logistics and Sailor & family care activities with our mission partners to generate readiness and sustain naval forces worldwide to prevent and decisively win wars. Learn more at www.navsup.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/navsup and https://twitter.com/navsupsyscom.