When I found out my summer job would be an internship at Naval Air Station Meridian, I had no idea the amazing opportunities awaiting me. On July10, I left Meridian with a team of eight people which included Troy Smith, president of the Clarke County Board of Supervisors; Paul Mosley and Mickey Long, Clarke County Supervisors; Stephen Myrick, Clarke County Administrator; Jerry Goforth, Neshoba County Supervisor; Kenneth Harris, president of the Board of Supervisors in Newton County; Charles Godwin, Newton County Supervisor; and Cathy Lummus, Building Permit Manager for Lauderdale County; all heading for one of the coolest business trips -- EVER!!
July 11: First stop NAS Norfolk, Virginia. We are all loaded onto a Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) aircraft. After two hours flying we hear, “Here we go! Here we go!” shouted by the two aviators in the cockpit. We were about to make our first arrested landing aboard the USS George Washington in the Pacific Ocean.
I took one last deep breath to calm my racing heart when we suddenly came to an abrupt stop. Upon arrival, the distinguished visitors, including myself, were rushed inside and down many flights of stairs to the in port cabin where we were warmly greeted by the commanding officer, public affairs officer and several other staff members. We were served light refreshments before we started extensively touring the aircraft carrier.
First impressions are always important, and my first impression of the “GW” was awe-inspiring, but nothing could prepare us for the first stop on our tour – the flight deck. After a safety brief and meeting the crew members, we were escorted to the deck where we were able to stand within feet of the catapult launching Navy jets. The jet fuel was extremely hot and was not the best smelling. The ship was moving fairly fast, so there was a constant breeze that helped with the jet fuel smell.
We each hurriedly reached for our phones and cameras to video the astounding process. Switching back and forth between the two catapults, we were able to watch jets take off and land catching the arresting gear cable, as well as a few doing touch and goes.
So many moving parts, so many people with dozens of different colored shirts -- which we learned designates their job on the flight deck -- it was simply awesome to watch.
Our next stop would be the bridge, where we were able to take pictures, and we were informed about the different responsibilities each Sailor has to keep the ship in motion. We were each given the option to drive the ship, and my personal favorite -- sit in the captain’s chair. Having the best view on the ship, we were able to see oil rigs and ships in the distance, and straight ahead we were able to view the jets being catapulted off the ship into the bright blue sky.
From there we travelled around to the many sections of the ship, one of which was referred to as flight deck control. This room in particular had a model of the flight deck that was made to scale. The “Handler,” the officer in charge of this section, tracked the movement of the jets on what looked like an Ouija Board – with scale size jets and people.
Next we were taken to the wardroom for an impressive dinner with the captain. We were able to chat with Sailors from Mississippi and other individuals with common interests. The dinner was fabulous, especially the rolls! To end the evening we scrambled up many flights of stairs to Vulture’s Row where we were able to observe flight operations as we watched the beautiful sunset.
Although the sun had set, we still had a few places to visit before we were left at our rooms. Talking to the pilots, visiting the hangar bay where the jets are stored, and the fantail which was located at the back of the ship -- all made an adventurous and tiring day.
To our advantage they were not doing flight ops through the night, so we slept with only some “noise.” But as the day ended and shifts changed, so did the atmosphere of the ship… it went to sleep with the Sailors who had worked probably 12 hours that day… the red lighting inside the ship glowed like Christmas tree lights.
Before long the ship was woken up by a whistle sounding over the announcement system. We were up early for our last day of touring. For breakfast we ate on the enlisted mess deck. We had a variety of choices and were again accompanied by Mississippi Sailors.
After sharing stories and laughing, we began the sightseeing for the day. First stop was medical where we spoke with the team and received a tour of the department which included the intensive care unit and the surgery room. Our next stop was dental where we also received a tour and spoke with the crew. With not much time left before departure, we visited the ships store and then enjoyed a delightful lunch in the chief’s mess. From there we took one last climb to Vulture’s Row where we made our last videos of the “cat shot” before we were actually able to experience it again.
Twenty-four hours later our last stop was where we started -- the CO’s in port cabin to say farewell to our newly made friends and enjoyed peanut butter cookies. We all exchanged our goodbyes, and now it was time to be catapulted off of the ship. Once again we heard the familiar shout, “Here we go! Here we go!,” I tightly gripped the 5-point harness that held me snuggly in my seat and we were blasted off of the ship and into the air.
The trip to the USS George Washington and working at NAS Meridian has definitely been an experience of a lifetime, and I will certainly take these memories and life lessons with me on my next adventure in life.
Olivia Martin is a student at Mississippi State University in Starkville. She is a graduate of Enterprise High School and the daughter of Darron and Robin Martin. Olivia was hired through Commander, Navy Installations Command Summer Internship Program which provides hands on experience for college-age students.
