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Blue Ridge earns second consecutive Battle "E"

7th Fleet Release

Release Date: 4/13/2004

By Journalist Seaman Apprentice Marc C. Rockwell-Pate, USS Blue Ridge public affairs

YOKOSUKA, Japan - USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) earned the Battle Efficiency Award for the second year in a row March 31. The award recognizes a ship for superior performance and a day-to-day demonstration of excellence.

Capt. Steve Maynard, Blue Ridge commanding officer, said, "Winning the Battle 'E' during my major sea command (tour) is one (award) I will always remember, even after I retire."

Blue Ridge, the command ship for the U.S. Seventh Fleet, earned the award for large deck amphibious ships through overall teamwork and excelling in each department, said Lt. Brad Juhl, the ship's operations officer.

"The fact that we also won four command excellence awards really played a big part in winning the Battle E too," said Juhl, an Oak Hill, Va., native.

Blue Ridge won Command Excellence awards in maritime warfare for combat systems, engineering/survivability for the engineering department, logistics management for the supply department and the Type Command Safety Award for 2003. These awards were given based on sustained superior operational excellence over a 12-month period.

Blue Ridge also won the Capt. Edward Ney Excellence in Food Service Award for 2003. Blue Ridge received this award for the best food service in the large deck amphibious ship class.

Lt. Cmdr. Allen Walters, the ship's combat systems officer, emphasized that earning all these awards demonstrated that leadership from officers and the entire crew really makes the ship work so well together.

"Every Sailor on the deck plates of this ship was critical to us winning the Battle E award," Walters said.

Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Edgrado Bauzon said, "It feels good to be able to contribute to the ship's success for both certifications and inspections.

"Our overall great effort on the deck was rewarded by high appreciation from not only the chain of command, but also the Navy by the winning the Battle E," added Bauzon.

Senior Chief Machinist's Mate (SW) Jose Espenida, engineering's leading chief petty officer, said he feels that leadership and communication definitely play big roles on the ship.

"The relay system that we have from the Chief of Engineering all the way down to the enlisted personnel is what allows us to do well and get down to the smallest details of a problem," said Espenida, of Mililani, Hawaii.

Rear Adm. Gary Jones, Commander, Amphibious Forces U.S. Seventh Fleet, said, "USS Blue Ridge has not only set new standards for ship in the Pacific Fleet, but also for command and control ships throughout the Navy."

"This (award) really belongs to my crew; each and every one of them contributed in every way and should all be proud of their accomplishments," said Maynard.

Although the ship is going into an extended dry dock maintenance period, Blue Ridge is in the competitive Battle E cycle for 2004.

"I am sure the ship will be at its peak readiness when it gets out and will continue with the tradition it has established," Maynard said.