Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 embarked the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (TR) (CVN 71) to conduct integrated training Sept. 16 to Oct. 9.
The arrival of CVW 1, composed of eight squadrons, 61 aircraft, and about 1,300 personnel, is a huge step forward for TR as the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group prepares for an upcoming deployment in the spring of 2015.
“This is the first major step to getting us back into being a combat-ready carrier, and takes us from basic phase to integrated phase,” said Cmdr. Brian Beck, TR’s air boss, a Scio, Ohio, native.
Managing eight air squadrons on one ship can be a tasking situation, but preparation and motivation can help smooth the process.
“This has been one of the easiest transitions that I’ve seen, as far as the air wing coming aboard with the ship’s company,” said Command Master Chief James Tocorzic, command master chief of CVW 1. “It just goes to show the mindset of teamwork that we’re already implementing.”
Sailors and Marines aboard TR are no longer maneuvering aircraft in a training environment. They are performing as they would on deployment in a combat-ready environment.
As the days and months trickle away and deployment draws closer, CVW 1 will continue to train with TR through the coming months to prepare for the challenges that that lay ahead.
[mappress] Press Release, October 09, 2014; Image: US Navy