Plan of Deception

After spending 4 unexpected day s in San Diego for repairs we are back underway and feels as though we are playing catch up. Not to say San Diego was a vacation. Certification events are in full swing late into the evening, the watch must go on , and the ebb is ceaseless. Some encouragement comes just from knowing we’ve been gone for 2 weeks now so there is some justification in feeling drained.

We joke around about our leadership telling us to be ‘flexible’ which I’ve taken as ‘we pretty much don’t know what’s going on today, but be ready for 'it' anyway.’ There’s a P.O.D or plan of the day that comes out  to help plan our day, but we have nicknamed it the plan of deception as of late. Our strike group, or a group of navy ships sailing together (not to be confused with strike warfare or tomahawk warfare) has a heavy hand in our schedule. Because there are multiple ships permissions have even more channels to go through and coordination to get maintenance done gets more complicated. It is seemingly impossible to get things done when you send requests through 12 of the correct channels for approval and a big last minute denial is thrown in your face. It’s not uncommon for maintenance to be done in the middle of the night because it’s the only tie it doesn’t interfere with other events going on within the strike group.

In addition to planned theater exercises my work center is in the midst of no notice tasking. It’s exactly as it sounds. We get no notice or advanced warning of a training event. It’s their way of better simulating a real event. This is why we stand watch 24 hours a day. The person on watch is notified we are in receipt of tasking, they tell the proper channels and it is announced on the 1 MC (ship’s intercom). Wherever we are at that time we drop everything and respond. Our response is timed and the call for tasking can be done anytime of the day. Today, just before hopping in the shower I hear it…..and when I say just before showering, I mean I had one toe in already. I threw on a sweat shirt, my coveralls (our uniform underway), and ran up scuttles and through p-ways in my shower shoes yelling at people as politely as I could to get out of the way. We don’t train like this often so I received many confused stares until it clicked that I am a tomahawk FC and they called away tasking….it also doesn’t help that the p-ways were dark by this time of night so my awkward shuffle, hair a-mess, and mismatched uniform may have actually been somewhat frightening. I was the butt of all jokes tonight, but I told them it was this or show up in a towel so they are all actually lucky!

So why were the p-ways   (passage ways) dark you ask. At sunset most lights inside the ship are turned from white lights to red lights. The color red is able to travel the least distance of any color, so we turn red lights on. This way if a door or hatch opens to the outside white lights doesn’t seep into the night exposing our position. It’s common with the helos to be doing night operations so we take some risk there, but risk management my friends.

Some of you have asked my address while at sea and if I need anything. Letters and packages are much welcomed! Any info on normal people life and photos I would enjoy. As far as items I may need, I have compiled an amazon list to make it easier.  It is all set up with the ships address. You just click and purchase or use it as a guide for suggestions. Generally speaking,  notebooks, black pens, bobbie pins, hair ties, toiletries, feminine products, chapstick, gum, tea, snacks, tuna, soup, nuts,  books, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, condiments, and seasonings are good care package materials. If you’d like to send to someone other than myself I will make sure it gets there, just let me know. Thank you all for your support! Prayers and mail are excellent fuel.

*Personal email: hamannlily@gmail.com I will not have as much access to this one as my work email.

Work email: lily.hamann@ddg90.navy.mil

Address: FC2 Hamann, Lily

               USS Chafee DDG 90

               Unit 100199 Box 812

               FPO AP 96662

Amazon List: Search hamannlily@gmail.com and the list will be labeled ‘Underway’