The amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47) heads out to sea after dispatching Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV) during a mechanized amphibious raid in support of exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2004. RIMPAC is the largest international maritime exercise in the waters around the Hawaiian Islands. This year's exercise includes seven participating nations; Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. RIMPAC is intended to enhance the tactical proficiency of participating units in a wide array of combined operations at sea, while enhancing stability in the Pacific Rim region. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Jane WestBy Ens. Ryan de Vera, USS Rushmore Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Vice Adm. D.C. Curtis, Commander, Naval Surface Forces (COMNAVSURFOR) and Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet toured USS Rushmore (LSD 47) Sept. 11, as the ship continued to make preparations for a visit by the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV).
INSURV is a Congressionally-mandated inspection set to ensure that ships of the United States Navy are properly equipped for prompt, reliable, sustained mission readiness at sea.
Rushmore's Commanding Officer Cmdr. Calvin Slocumb, along with Capt. Rodney Clark, commander, Amphibious Squadron 7, hosted Vice Adm. D.C. Curtis on a pre-INSURV tour. During the tour, Curtis spoke with several Rushmore Sailors to find out what their jobs were and how they were preparing for INSURV.
"I talked to Vice Adm. Curtis about the repairs we made to one of our main reduction gears," said Chief (Sel.) Engineman Gabriel Carreon. "I also told him how we took the opportunity to conduct training for other Sailors while we worked on our equipment."
Rushmore is scheduled to have their INSURV the week of Oct. 27. During INSURV, inspectors will visit every compartment aboard and assess the ship's overall readiness to ensure the ship is ready to fight.