We had a swim call yesterday in the well deck where the Marine's LCUs arekept. They flooded it at an angle where it was more shallow in the middleof the ship and about 11ft deep at the back end. We had to wait a bitbecause when we first went down there a fuel film was on the top of thewater. I guess the LCUs had leaked on the deck. Deck department allegedlywashed out the welldeck but it wasn't good enough so we had to drain andreflood the well deck about 2 times more. Once that was done we didn't havea burning feeling on our skin and mouth! I had watch from 9am-12pm so I wasable to enjoy the afternoon. The "girl gang" went up to the flight deck tosun ourselves .. with clothes on of course.. and then got some barbeque ribsand good eats. I was tasked yesterday by the XO to write monthly updatesabout our ship that are submitted to SWOnet (Surface Warrior Association)and perhaps the Virginian Pilot! So look for that!

We did an underway replenishment in formation with the USS Philippine Sea,> a Naval Supply ship, the French ship LaFayette, and 3 helos a few days> ago. I conned during it (gave the commands to the people driving the> ship). It was a big deal because we were 180ft from the other ship in the> water and there was a danger of a collision like happened down in FL.> Everything was fine and we didn't hit! Later that day I was able to go to> the french ship for lunch. We climbed down the side of our ship on a> metal and rope ladder to a little inflatable raft and sped across the> water to the french ship. We pulled alongside it to a door that was water> level and climbed easily out! Much easier than coming down from our tall> ship! I'll admit I was a little apprehensive about coming down from the> ship. Once onboard we met a few officers and dined with them in their> wardroom. THe CHENG (chief engineer) was the most senior officer LCDR that> went with us and he ate with the CO in his own wardroom. The supply> officer was the only one that was a female on a ship of 150 people. This> ship is one of the last in the French Navy to incorporate women onboard.> Not totally sure why. She was really funny and so were all the people> that were there. We had cocktails, french wine, french bread, french> cheese, french everything. We ate KANGAROO!! They made a joke and said> that we were eating "Skippy" but we all thought they were kidding. THey> said we would just hop back to our ship. I still can't believe I ate> kangaroo. It tasted like beef. Haha. We had mangos and avacados from> Jabouti, Africa that were really good. We ate off crystal and silver.> THeir wardroom was really nice. They gave us a personalized tour after> lunch. They (Suppo, pilot, VBSS Officer leader, and Combat Information> System offier) toured us around. They were a diesel ship like ours but> were totally automatic. They had a PERISCOPE on the bridge to use b/c> they said it was more convenient than using binoculars. Their medical> facility and combat were the same. THey had a helo onboard that they> rolled into a hanger bay that I took a picture by. The layout of the ship> was different inside because the halls were wider and the floors seemed to> be different colors on every floor. The ship i think they said was 10> years old? It was so fun to go over to their ship. THey knew English> fairly well and had tons of funny stories. It was good to get away from> the ship and take the boat ride between the 2 ships which was about 10> minutes. THey gave us blue ballcaps from their ship withthe name and a> pic on the front.. we did the same. They sent back a loaf of french bread> and wine for the CO. The whole day was very exhausting but was also very> refreshing being off the ship.

8/25> Things have been so busy here!! I have successfully qualled in CPR, 9mm,> shotgun, and M-14 shooting. We shot off the back of the ship at hanging> paper targets. You all thought the one I had in my room at school was> good? haha.. wait till you see the M-14! I had my first small pox shot> ever. That is such a pain. It gets filled with puss and then it scabs> over. It is getting the scab now. Its quite an adventure to say the least.> We had a swim call the other day off the coast of Jabouti, Africa. We> try to have "Steel beaches" every week during "holiday routine". They> cookout on the flight deck and play loud music. Swim call day they> lowered the sterngate (the back part of my kind of ship) so the water came> up slightly into the ship. There was an inclined plane access to the> middle of the ocean. We had an 11m and 7m rhib out with people on shark> and safety watch. That was so much fun eventhough I was relieved late> from watch and got to swim a grand total of 15 min. > As you all saw on the news the 2 US ships were attacked by an RPG Rocket> in Jordan. We were supposed to be going there but that obviously isn't> going to happen. So, that means that rather than stopping since we have> been at sea for a month this coming week, we wait until mid september> instead. We'll be going into the med and making a couple stops on the way> to West Africa. We are all fine on the ship-- stepped up the vigilance as> far as force protection.

8/10> It is definitely cooler inside the ship. I am lucky b/c my room is one of> the cooler ones since it is on the inside without a wall directly on the> outside of the ship. I have 2 other roommates that are older girls. I have> a mutual friend from college with one of them. Everyone has been pretty> helpful. There are a lot of prior enlisted officers. That means they are> older with more experience but have the same rank as me. So, it has been a> little interesting trying to make friends or find a nitch. Don't really> have time to do much at sea besides stand watch, eat, sleep, and study> things to qualify, and shower. When we get into port next I think in> Africa we'll be able to get off the ship. That should be in about a month.> I have time to adjust. I am relieving the combat systems officer who is> leaving in October. He basically runs all the "intelligence" stuff on the> ship and runs the area where the big computer screens are that show all> the ships and airplanes in the area. It is a lot to learn so it is good> that there is time to turn over with him. He is also in charge of MWR> which is Morale Welfare Recreation. He plans all the "fun events" for the> ship. Any tours while in port, various parties back in Norfolk, etc. The> next massive thing coming up is hopefully a "holiday party" when we are> hopefully stopping at a tropical island on our way back to Norfolk in the> beginning of December! That should be a lot of fun!! There are a lot of> other female officers. It is not weird at all. There are obviously more> female enlisted personnel. I think someone said we have upper 20s of> officers. I'd say about a good 10 are female. Some are only temporary duty> here until their ship finishes getting built though. I think they stay> until we get back to Norfolk. That is good because they are really nice.> Since we are underway I spend day and night on the ship. This span it will> be about a month before we stop in Africa. We were just in Bahrain. I was> there 2 days with a few other people waiting to get to the hsip and then> the ship was here for about 6 days. So it was agood stop. It is a good> thing though because they hadn't stopped but for like 2 days in 2 months.> They enjoyed the time there. I haven't really come across anything I have> forgotten (fingers crossed). If I do, hopefully it will be in the ship's> store or I can borrow someones. The ship has a "store" it is open everyday> during certain hours. IT sells snackfood, uniform parts, dvds, some> watches, personal hygiene stuff, etc. The food is ok. It was horrible in> port. The chicken patties were very hard, etc. We had flank steak and> shrimp scampi last night. Now that was a good dinner. So it fluctuates.> There for a hwil I thought I was going to be emaciated when I came home.> Definitely have to drink a lot of water. Like I said I am in a "stateroom"> with 2 other girls. We have bunk beds. I am on the top bunk. We each have> an entire wall unit floor to ceiling that includes a chest of drawers, and> a closet type thing, also a fold out desk and chair. We have a tv and a> refrigerator in our room. We have a sink and a mirror and cabinet. Not to> bad living quarters. It is actually the same room that I was on my summer> training ship last summer since I was on the same type of ship. We did not> have to wear a veil outside the ship. There was a dress code though. We> had to wear no tank tops, pants, and only skirts longer than knee length.> No shorts. Not to much really. The natives definitely wore their native> dress though a lot of the places so it was a little awkward to be the only> people in the crowd not dressed like that. Especially when we went ot the> mall there. We came out of seeing wedding crashers and said to each other> it was time to go because it was getting to be a little sketchy for us to> be there. We were supposed to avoid large crowds. And I certainly don't> fit in with blond hair and being tall. We have VERY slow internet here. I> can't download my pictures. I haven't taken any digitally yet. I have some> on a disposable from Bahrain. I want to take some more of the ships we are> boarding here in the Persian gulf area because they are really cool> looking. It is almost like being in a movie because we lower a small boat> from our ship that drives over to this small fishing vessel after we have> called it on the radio form our ship telling them that in accordance with> national law we are conducting boarding operations, etc. So then a team of> people go onto these boats, armed and have a questionnaire to fill out and> give them, etc. the process varies time ot time. We have people that take> pictures of the boardings and document all the little vessles we board. We> are working with a coalition of other nations too in this area. It is> funny b/c the captain is playing a game to see who can board the most> dhows (small fishing vessels) during the exercise. One of my tasks is to> keep track of all the boardings and other numbers affiliated with them.

8/5> I'm near Iran and the United Arab Emmerets (sp?)- (UAE). We are sailing> with a ship from Pakistan. When I was in Bahrain waiting for the ship at> the hotel with the 3 other people from my ship we stayed in the hotel and> went only to the Naval Base there because to the terror level. However,> when the ship pulled in for 5 days we went out in town to the mall with> other people and also saw "wedding crashers". It was funny because the> movie had Arabian and French subtitles-- thank goodness it as in English!> We also had a "rug flop" where all the officers from the ship were invited> to 2 Commanders that work at the Naval Base in Bahrain house. It was a> buffet dinner with native food, pool table, big screen tv... and also> people that sold rugs. They literally "flopped" out like 100+ rugs onto> the ground. Price ranges were from a reasonable 70 Dinar (about x 2.6 = US> money) to like 800 Dinar. like $140- $3,000. I bought 2 at a good price of> $220. We bargained with them it was fun. They were from India and Persia.> We also went to the "Gold Sook" where 22K gold was a good price but still> fairly expensive. Next stop we'll eventually be in West Africa after> transiting through the Med. So we had some time out in the town. Now not> too much free time. I stand watch 5 hours on the bridge driving the ship.> We have been boarding a lot of fishing vessels and searching them here in> the Persian Gulf area. I also have things I have to qualify in as well. I> have random tasks I'm in charge of like creating a spreadsheet of> everything for the entire deployment (#of apples eaten, # of ships> boarded). I don't have a division yet because the guy i'm relieving is> still here until oct. that is good so I can learn about how things work> and all.

8/5:> One of the harder decisions is seriously should I drink another bottle of> water so I won't get dehydrated or not so I don't have to use the restroom> on watch! Thanks for the email! Things are so busy here you can't even> imagine. I stand watch 5 hours a day on the bridge driving the ship. We> have been boarding a lot of fishing vessels and searching them here in the> Persian Gulf area. I also have things I have to qualify in as well. I have> random tasks I'm in charge of like creating a spreadsheet of everything> for the entire deployment (#of apples eaten, # of ships boarded). I don't> have a division yet because the guy i'm relieving is still here until Oct.> that is good so I can learn about how things work and all. Pretty much the> highlight of the day is eating, taking a shower, and using the restroom.> Sounds kind of funny- but your always hungry, hot, and want personal time.