By Petty Officer 3rd Class Abigail Rader, Navy Public Affairs
Support Element
SAN DIEGO – A 2000 Kellam High School
graduate and Virginia Beach, Virginia native is serving in the U.S.
Navy as part of a crew working aboard one of the country’s most versatile
combat ships.
Petty Officer 1st Class Stephen Shelton is a
culinary specialist and
a member of a crew which serve aboard
littoral combat ships based in San Diego.
A Navy culinary specialist is responsible for providing nutritious meals for sailors aboard the ships.
“I like to take care of people,
and as a cook for the Navy, I feel like I get to do that in a unique way,” said Shelton.
Shelton is part of a 53-person
crew, one of several crews that rotate between USS Freedom and USS
Fort Worth, as part of a unique crewing concept called “3-2-1,” where three
crews serve aboard two different littoral combat ships, one of which is
deployed. This innovative manning
concept allows the LCS to spend
more time forward deployed without overtaxing the crew, according to Navy
officials.
Designed to
defeat threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft,
the Freedom variant of littoral
combat ships are 388 feet
long and weigh nearly 3,400 tons fully loaded. Twin gas-turbine engines push
the ship through the water at more than 40 mph.
“This command is something new and out of my element,”
said Shelton. “I'm a cook, and I don't typically do admin work, but since being
here I get to learn a lot about admin responsibilities and keep track of our
members.”
According to
Navy officials, the path to becoming an LCS sailor is a long one. Following an 18-month training pipeline, sailors
have to qualify on a simulator that is nearly identical to the ship. This intense and realistic training pipeline
allows sailors to execute their roles and responsibilities immediately upon
stepping onboard.
"Sailors that work aboard this platform are expected to
be capable of performing a variety of tasks to assist in the completion of the
LCS mission," said Capt. Warren R Buller, Commander, LCS Squadron One.
"The training that is required of our sailors is rigorous and difficult.
This ensures that they are mission ready to defend and protect America at all
times."
As a crewmember
aboard one of the Navy’s newest ships, Shelton explained they are
building a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes. Crewmembers know how
important it is for the Navy to develop new war fighting capabilities to
continue their success on the world’s oceans.
“Serving in the Navy means I have the opportunity to serve
my country,” added Shelton. “It makes me feel
like I'm a part of something bigger than I ever thought I was able to be.”
Through
innovative planning, the design of systems, and crew requirements, the LCS
platform allows the fleet to increase forward presence and optimize its personnel,
improving the ability of the Navy to be where it matters, when it matters.