McFaul (DDG 74) - Naval Cruise Book

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Commanding Officer Commander Bernard L. Jackson, USN Commander Jackson, a native of Ma- con, Georgia received his commission in December 1978 through the NROTC program at Savannah State College. There he was awarded a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. Commander Jackson ' s first tour of duty was as Gunnery Officer and Damage Control Assistant on board USS EL PASO (LKA-117). Durmg his tour, EL PASO completed an extensive over- haul and conducted a major deployment to the Indian Ocean. In August of 1982, Commander Jack- son was assigned to the Naval ROTC Unit, Savannah State College, where in addition to performing duties as Recruitmg Officer Sophomore Instructor he obtained a Bach- elor of Science in Mathematics. In November 1985, Commander Jack- son was assigned to USS CONNOLE (FF- 1056) as Engineering Officer until Octo- ber 1987. Durmg his tour, CONNOLE was awarded the Battle E . In October 1987, Commander Jack- son was assigned to USS JOSEPHUS DANIELS (CG-27) as Engineering Officer until October 1989. During his tour, JOSEPHUS DANIELS won the Battle E and was the recipient of the Arleigh Burke award as the most improved surface com- batant. Commander Jackson served on the staff of COMCRUDESGRU EIGHT from October 1989 until November 1991. Dur- ing his tour, CCDG-8 participated in sev- eral complex operations, including Opera- tionS DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM while embarked in USS SARATOGA (CV-60). Commander Jackson served as Execu- tive Officer in USS TICONDEROGA (CG- 47) from March 1992 until October 1993. During his tour, TICONDEROGA participated in several fleet exercises and completed the first AEGIS overhaul. In November 1993, he attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Is- land where he earned a Masters Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. Subsequently, in January 1995, Com- mander Jackson assumed duties as an ac- tion officer within the Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate (J-5), the Jomt Staff, Washington, D.C. He was responsible for developing strategy and policy on pro- grams related to security assistance. Dur- ing this tour. Commander Jackson was selected to be the commissioning Com- manding Officer of USS McFAUL (DDG- 74). Commander Jackson ' s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (two awards). Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), the Navy Achievement Medal and vanous service medals and unit awards. Commander Jackson is married to the former Cassandra Gale Pryor of Macon, Georgia. They have two children, Nichole and Anthony. 25

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± o Be a Plankowner LCDR Hunt briefs members of one ofMcFAVL ' s inporl emergency learns before a main space fire drill. Someone very wise once said that it IS the crew that makes the ship. Though McFAUL is the most techno- logically advanced naval vessel the world has ever known, it would amount to nothing if the men and women behind the steel did not pos- sess the courage, the capability, and the spint that are evident onboard USS McFAUL. DDG 74 has been blessed with a crew that is highly motivated as well as qualified. There are 300 plankowners onboard McFAUL, that is, 300 origi- nal crew members. To be a plankowner is quite an honor and one that is truly earned. Only the initial members of the crew have the privi- lege of wearing a McFAUL plankowner ballcap and placing the plankowner plaque on their wall. It is an honor that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Precommissioning a ship can be a very difficult and frustrating process, from writing every smgle instruction and creating every file, to ensuring that each McFAULSfocsle in Seplember 1997 sailor and officer is qualified in their re- spective areas. Through all the late nights of counterpart training and the long hours of damage control fire party drills, and the numerous other tasks, this crew re- mained focused on the mission at hand: commissioning the world ' s most ad- vanced surface combatant. It doesn ' t take much to see that McFAUL has an espirit de corps that few ships possess. Shipboard life is tough, and tensions can run high, es- pecially on precommissioning duty. But McFAUL sailors have a sense of cooperation, professionalism, and teamwork that stretches beyond di- visional or departmental lines. DDG 74 may be better built and better manned than any other ship 4 m in the US Navy, but it is TEAM | McFAUL that makes this guided missle destroyer the mightiest fight- ing ship in the world. 24

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44 Only a seaman realizes to what great extent an entire ship reflects the personality and ability of one indi- vidual, her commanding officer. To a landsman this is not understandable and at times it is even difficult for us to comprehend, but it is so! A ship at sea is a distant world in herself, and in con- sideration of the great protracted and distant operations of the fleet units, the Navy must place great power, responsi- bility, and trust in the hands of those leaders chosen for command. In each ship there is one man, who, in the hour of emer- gency or peril at sea, can turn to no other man. There is one alone who is ultimately responsible for the safe navi- gation, engineering performance, accurate gunfire, and mo- rale of his ship. He IS the Commanding Officer. He is the ship. This IS the most difficult and demanding assignment in the Navy. There is not an instant during his tour as com- manding officer that he can escape the grasp of command and responsibility. His privileges in view of his obligation are ludicrously small; nevertheless, command is the spur which has given the Navy its great leaders. It is duty which most richly deserves the highest, time- honored title of the seafaring world... CAPTAIN. - Joseph Conrad 26