YOKOSUKA, Japan – The Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN
76), is hosting 18 midshipmen during the ship’s current patrol.
Midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy and Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps routinely
participate in deployment programs designed to advance their professional development and
provide them with hands-on experience while underway.
“We do a lot of classroom work at school, but this is our opportunity to see what really happens out
in the fleet,” said Midshipman 1st Class Brianne Corwin, from Riverhead, New York. “On our 2nd
class cruise, we worked with an enlisted running mate and got to see what they do in their rates,
while this cruise we get to work with commissioned officers who work in the job field we want to be
in. That way, we will have experienced and have a better understanding of both sides of the Navy
once we join the fleet.”
The midshipmen are working alongside and talking to junior and senior officers, who are teaching
them what it is like to live and work as a Sailor in an authoritative position aboard the ship. They are
looking to gain experience in various areas that will help them excel as naval officers, regardless of
their individual career path.
“Not all of us will be going SWO [surface warfare officer] nuke,” said Corwin. “So, while we’ve
been getting tours of the reactor spaces and learning about the nuclear side of operations, we have
also been watching flight operations and touring the general deck spaces. The carrier is so massive,
so it’s been amazing seeing how everything is connected and works together. Everything is very
coordinated and everyone knows where they are supposed to be.”
In just a few days underway, the midshipmen have experienced a number of shipboard operations,
including flight operations during the Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW-5) fly-on, flight deck certifications
and crew-serve weapons drills.
“We get the opportunity to talk to so many knowledgeable people in the job field and gain their
insight and take advice from them,” said Midshipman 1st Class Luc Spalding, from Raleigh, North
Carolina. “We get to talk to and learn lessons from more experienced people that will help spare us
from learning things the hard way.”
Even for those with previous experience on deployment, having the opportunity to embark on an
aircraft carrier can provide a new perspective.
“I was on a sub for last year’s cruise, but the surface side is totally different,” said Midshipman 1st
Class Trey Seitz, from Chicago. “I have a great appreciation for carriers, especially on the bridge. I
think it’s incredible seeing everyone in action and working to operate the carrier effectively. It’s
important for us to get a feel for what we might be doing in the future as commissioned officers.”
Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects
and defends the collective maritime interests of its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.