Any day in the Navy

All Hands, Oct, 2004 by Marie G. Johnston

During the year, All Hands magazine brings you photos and stories from around the world.

But we only publish a smart number of the stories that are out there. With the limitations of staff, time and pages, how do you tell a Sailor about all of the forward-deployed forces, or the seemingly minor changes in our work environments that improve quality of service? How do you show the fleet the steps being taken to improve our Navy's future? How do you show the effect these changes have on both the morale of the Sailors and their desire to "Stay Navy?"

Sometimes it's better to let the fleet show you. We expanded the time frame for shooting photos for the 10th Annual "Any Day in the Navy" issue to cover the entire year. This allowed Sailors to show us their view of events that might not happen on one selected day. The response was tremendous.

After gathering more than 7,000 photos, the staff at All Hands was faced with the difficult task of sorting through them to find those images that best tell the Navy story.

Within these pages are the photographs that you shot; the stories you wanted to tell. They show our people, ships, equipment, recreation and an overall look at the life a Sailor could expect to see any day in the Navy.

* An F/A-18 Hornet passes over the flight deck during air operations aboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) during Summer Plus '04. Summer Pulse was the Navy's first test of the new Fleet Response Plan.

* A child waves a U.S. flag as he welcomes back aircrew assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137 aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island.

* JO3 Sunday Williams of Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs is reenlisted in the shrine room at the USS Arizona Memorial by her leading chief petty officer, JOC Tim Paynter. Williams reenlisted for four years and will soon transfer to USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67).

Photo by PH1 William R. Goodwin

AE2 Justin Ladislado (left) and AE2 David Gray troubleshoot the Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) System of an SH-60 Seahawk assigned to USS Princeton (CG 59).

Photo by PH2 Tiffini M. Jones

A boatswain's mate performs a routine Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) recovery in the well deck of USS Bataan (LHD 5).

Photo by PH3 Jonathan Carmichael

MM2 Barbour McCreer embraces a loved one during USS Enterprise (CVN 65) homecoming festivities.

Photo by PH1 Christopher Mobley

LTJG Amit Patel (right) mans a console in the control room of USS Hampton (SSN 767) in the waters off the coast of the United Kingdom, while enroute to the North Pole for ICEX '04.

Photo by JOC Kevin Elliott

This test platform, Weapon Set-To-hit Threat Target (WSTTT), developed in San Diego to support the Operational Test and Evaluation Force (OPTEVFOR), is used to test anti-submarine warfare (ASW) sensors and weapons. It can be lowered and raised from a surface support platform, but it doesn't have a propulsion system. The platform allows unarmed ASW torpedoes to impact it without any explosion.

Photo by PH2 Todd Reeves

Searching for water or other impurities that can cause contamination, GSFN Molly Jarvis examines a lube oil sample from the gas turbine propulsion system in the main machinery room aboard USS Bridge (AOE 10).

Photo by PH2 Monica L. McLaughlin

AM3 Nicholas Crow conducts an engine cavity inspection on an EA-6B Prowler assigned to Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron (VAQ) 139 in the hangar bay aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).

Photo by PH3 Mark J. Robilas

Carrier Air Wing 17, aboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67), makes final preparations prior to flight operations during their final Carrier Qualifications in the Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX). JTFEX is designed to test and evaluate a strike group's reaction to multiple wartime scenarios from small craft attacks to land based missile attacks and is the certification For a strike group preparing to deploy.

Photo by PHAN Anthony Riddle

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 40's CECN Raymond Peterson looks for contacts before motioning to his patrol to move forward across a road during routine military training.

Photo by PHAN John P. Curtis

A group of aircrew students in full flight gear, with their feet on the training tank deck, are learning the basics of surviving in a hostile, open-sea environment by practicing survival flotation techniques at the Naval Survival Training Institute (NSTI) aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. NSTI, a detachment of the Naval Operational Medicine Institute (NOMI), provides annual high-risk survival training to more than 26,000 Navy and Marine aircrew, Marine ground forces and selected aircrew from other services.

Photo by Gary Nichols

Aviation ordnancemen aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65) connect ordnance to an SH-60 Seahawk assigned to Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (HS) 3.

Photo by PH3(AW/SW) Joshua Karsten

Naval Reservist CDR Phil Landrigan examines a Ghanaian child during the West African Training Cruise Medical Outreach Program (WATC MOP) '03. WATC MOP is an annual medical exercise designed to provide humanitarian aid and foster the spirit of cooperation between the United States and the people of West Africa.