USS Abraham Lincoln Progressing in Rebuilding Berthing Spaces USS Abraham Lincoln Progressing in Rebuilding Berthing Spaces Read more posts and click here

Sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) PM 11′s berthing team are beginning the rebuilding process by overhauling spaces and bringing in replacement racks Nov. 20.

The PM 11 team, consisting of 31 Sailors, successfully removed more than 1,500 racks from Lincoln spaces prior to the carrier’s arrival at Newport News Shipbuilding. During the last year, Lincoln Sailors have modernized the berthing spaces by sanding, painting and installing new decks and racks to eventually get the carrier ready to move the crew aboard.

“I have been here since March and the progress the berthing team has made has been amazing,” said Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Terrence Parks, berthing rehabilitation team leading chief petty officer. “Having Sailors from other departments temporarily assigned to the berthing crew not only allows us to work faster and more efficiently, but it also gives the ability to every Sailor on the ship to help contribute to getting the Lincoln back out to the fleet.”

The berthing team, led by Weapons department, started in November 2012, and after only seven months they were able to have all 37 berthing areas gutted, prepped and ready to begin the modernization.

The rehabilitation of the berthing areas is planned in three distinct phases. The first phase consisted of completely cleaning the berthing areas. The second phase involves preparing the spaces for painting. The last phase will consist of installing new furniture, new racks, lockers and laundry bins.

“Currently all 37 spaces have completed the first phase, while 10 spaces have completed phase two and are awaiting phase three,” said Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Michael Mock, assistant berthing production leading chief petty officer. “We have three or four more spaces that have been started on phase two.”

To learn more about the PM 11 Berthing Team, watch the latest USS Abraham Lincoln’s video podcast by visiting: www.youtube.com/ussabrahamlincoln72.

Lincoln is currently undergoing refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries.

Lincoln is the fifth ship of the Nimitz class to undergo an RCOH, a major life-cycle milestone. Once RCOH is complete, Lincoln will be one of the most modern and technologically advanced Nimitz-class aircraft carriers in the fleet and will continue to be a vital part of the nation’s defense.

Press Release, November 22, 2013; Image: US Navy