Readying the galley one pallet at a time

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kyle P. Malloy, Pre-Commissioning Unit George H.W. Bush Public Affairs

NEWPORT NEWS, Va (NNS) (August 5, 2008) -- Sailors from Pre-Commissioning Unit George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) moved roughly 100 pallets of frozen food aboard July 7, completing one more step in the process of moving aboard the ship.

The most recent food on-load took about five hours, requiring two different groups working as an assembly line, according to Culinary Specialist 1st Class (SW) Matthew Houston, cargo leading petty officer.

To achieve the command's goal of moving all of its personnel onto the aircraft carrier, some of the galleys (food facilities) need to be fully operational. The ship's supply department, especially the culinary specialists, are working to stock the galleys before the crew moves aboard, according to Houston.

"We are working long days," Houston said. "If we're going to move aboard we have got to have food, so no matter how long it takes or what it takes, we have to make sure it happens."

Stafford-Wright said the success of the move-aboard process, especially for the galleys, requires the cooperation of the entire crew.

Both Houston and Stafford-Wright acknowledge the amount of effort being put forth by the junior Sailors in the department.

"This is hard work, unloading boxes of food," said Houston. "Sometimes I am surprised by these Sailors who work as hard as they do without complaining."

Once the food is aboard, Houston said the department's culinary specialists will participate in weekend training to ensure food preparation will be up to Bush standards.

"They are on top of it," said Stafford-Wright. "When they get tasked with something, it gets done."

The aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush is under construction at Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyard.