Preservation Onboard USS Shoup DDG-86

by Ensign Jayla Darby

26 April 2023 YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JAPAN -- Preservation Onboard USS Shoup DDG-86

From Petty Officer Third Class Riley Black, USS Shoup (DDG86) Public Affairs Assistant

YOKOSUKA, Japan - The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Shoup (DDG 86) Preservation Operation.

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG 86) has created a new preservation intensive program known as the Corrosion Control Assistance Team (CCAT), aka the “Rust Busters.” This program focuses on maintaining the ship’s mission readiness while fighting the weather elements. The team focuses on cleaning existing coatings, priming, painting, needle gunning and sanding topside. Shoup’s CCAT works in parallel with the deck division and is comprised of 10 sailors that represent all six departments in Shoup. Each department created a preservation plan to tackle preservation work in USS Shoup to maintain condition readiness. The CCAT Team performs the majority of the work through lead-and-assist work candidates within the existing maintenance (3M) program. Members are trained in a formal course on procedures onboard Command Fleet Activities Yokosuka prior to commencing any preservation. The tours are 90 days that closely mimics the food service attendant model - work is performed both underway and in port. The CCAT division is led by first tour division officer, Ensign Harrison Charlton and Chief Petty Officer Quartermaster Mark Rufo, both positions are billeted to lead and manage the team for six months.

SHOUP’S Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Timothy Winters, a 25-year Navy veteran, former non-rated deck seaman, and native of Fairfield, Maine states “Corrosion Control is a constant effort that reflects the degree of professionalism and discipline of a crew; ignoring your responsibility as a leader to maintain high standards will show quickly in this humid environment. SHOUP’s Crew takes immense pride and dedicates constant attention to demonstrating ownership of duties to maintain our ship at the highest level possible. We’ve enjoyed the synergy of pulling together a team comprised of dissimilar ratings onboard, I’m proud of the work they’ve done - the results are apparent.”

SHOUP’s First Lieutenant, Ensign Eric Swanson, expresses “SHOUP’s work ethic and dedication to the mission objective of a Continuous Maintenance Availability (CMAV) period is what drove us to ensure we would be preparing the ship for a different type of lifestyle from San Diego. We adapted to the ‘Get Real, Get Better’ mindset after our homeport shift and are making the necessary steps to ensure the ship stays ready to support a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.”

Proper preservation needs to be conducted to remain a fighting force in SHOUPs new home in Seventh Fleet. Structural integrity plays a massive role in mission readiness and SHOUP recognizes that. Corrosion Control is Damage Control. SHOUP sailors takes immense pride in their dedication and hard work on and off the deck plates - she remains a ready asset for tasking.