Kiska (AE 35) - Naval Cruise Book

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Time is an important element in conduct- ing everyday evolutions on board a naval vessel. The challenge to every crew member aboard is to be prepared to meet the demanding schedule. This schedule can cover all hours of the day, including activities such as airheads, UN REPS, maintenance of the ship and various drills. This challenge is met by each department head and his subordinates long before the actual beginning of the deployment. The ship and its crew undergo a variety of preparations: refresher training and GPPE to name a few. The ship goes through these various training evolutions to prepare itself for the up-coming deployment and, eventually, for its return to homeport. From The X0 Time is such an important ele- ment in the everyday life of the KISKA crew. Long hours are spent each day on the demanding reality of life at sea. The Job of the Executive Officer IS to make sure that this time is used smartly and to prepare the men of the KISKA to meet the demands of the schedule. The theme of this cruise book is A Day In The Life Qf KISKA. By reducing the months to the es- sence of one day, the reader of this book will gain insight into what a sailor contends with on a day-to-day basis.

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Erom The CQ KlSKA's nine month deployment has proven to be the 'cruise of a lifetime'. From the very start when we left Concord on August l4, 1990, we knew our mission was going to be the toughest of any ammunition ship's since World War ll. We moved ammo across the Pacific as we sailed westward. We stopped in Pearl Harbor, Guam and Subic before reaching the MIDWAY Battle Group and heading to the Persian Gulf. We opened the newest naval logistics center in the Middle East in December 1990. This supply point will continue to reshape Middle East logistics for years to come. We were the first ammunition ship to enter the Persian Gulf in direct support of a carrier battle group. We are directly respon- sible for USS MIDWAY delivering more ordnance on enemy targets than any other carrier during the war. KISKA became famous through- out the Gulf as the ammo ship to look for when you want ammo and other cargo moved the quickest. By the end of cruise we were honored with the recognition as Battle E winner of Musik J' COMLOGGRU ONE, AE class. This award epitomizes team work and spirit over the long run. Nothing more can be said of a crew that worked so hard on a day to day basis. There were some great liberty ports too. Hawaii, Subic, Hong Kong, Penang, Perth and Bali rate as some of the best in the world. Christmas in Eujairah will be remembered as well. A most eventful nine months. We can take pride in knowing that we played a significant role in the shaping of world events. l have the deepest admiration for the entire crew of KISKA which performed superbly and never quit. Yes it was a long nine months, but a cruise any sailor would have loved to have been part of. We made history. :lf

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LT john Adams, Supply Department Head It is this man's job to ensure that the ship has all the basic require- ments to be self-sufficient, such as food, equipment and money. Additionally, his department washes the crew's laundry, cuts their hair, and provides a ship's store that offers a variety of goods. They offer visible services that make one feel that one is part of a viable community. From his office on the 02 level, LT Adams commands a group of men who have a far-reaching effect on the entire crew of KISKA. Without their efforts, the ship's mission would be impaired. LT David Andersland, Operations Department Head Various communications is the key phrase which describes this im- portant department. Without transmitting and receiving information, the ship would be isolated from its immediate environment and the world. Each division in Operations plays a vital role in the realm of data. The methods used are diverse. The latest in electronic-gathering devices are utilized, yet flashing lights or hand signals are still as im- portant as they were a hundred years ago. And without radio signals, the command would come to a virtual standstill. LT David johnson, X! N av Department Head Within this small department are very distinct rates that provide an assortment of services: the Yeomen and Personnelmen in the ship's office with their files and forms, the Quartermasters on the bridge charting the course, the Iournalist documenting and entertaining the crew, the Hospital Corpsmen tending to the sick, the Postal Clerk sorting mail, the Religious Program Specialist assisting the Chaplain, the Master-At-Arms maintaining law and order, and the Naval Career Counselor persuading people to remain in the United States Navy. LCDR Rocky Kropp, Air Department Head KISKA is made resplendent with the addition of this temporary de- partment of aviators and maintenance men. Because of Air's tireless work, the ship is able to move ammunition and other cargo Cin con- junction with Deck Departmentl at a much faster rate using their two helicopters. Swooping down and hovering above the ship's flight deck, the pilot and his crew have perfected a system of delivering and receiving important cargo in a timely and safe manner. Even though they will eventually return to San Deigo, they will be remembered.