The qualification requirements take roughly 12 weeks to complete. The qualifications required are flight deck observer and directing and handling in addition to all the qualifications sailors are required to obtain when they report to Nimitz. "There are two main qualifications you get as a blue shirt, but from there it's all about if your chain of command sees you have the initiative to take on being a yellow shirt," said Cluck. Since the job requires demanding attention to detail and an extreme amount of knowledge to be performed well, the training and amount of hours a sailor needs to put in to become a yellow shirt is impressive. Eisenhower, March 11, 2012.ĭuring their time wearing blue, they learn the ins and outs of properly directing aircraft, which helps build the foundation of a high-performance yellow shirt. So we don't only need to know our job, but everyone else's as well."Īviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 1st Class John Bloomberg assists Airman John Blank during firefighting drills aboard USS Dwight D. Safety of all the personnel on deck is a big part of our job as well. Normally anyone who needs guidance on the flight deck looks for a yellow shirt. "On the flight deck we are not only responsible for directing aircraft but also for directing people. "At first being a yellow shirt was scary, but now that I have some confidence I would say there is a sense of pride," said Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Melanie Cluck, from Palm Springs, California. Any mistake or lack of better judgement can cause damage to equipment or injury to personnel on the flight deck. Anyone who is afforded the opportunity to observe flight deck operations on an aircraft carrier will instantly notice the assortment of colors worn by the personnel to specify their job.Īfter watching how the flight deck operates for a while, it is clear, one jersey color is in charge of the big dance: yellow.Īviation boatswain's mates (handling), commonly known as yellow shirts, that work on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz are directly responsible for the handling and maneuvering of aircraft as well as the safety of all personnel during flight operations. Flight deck operations on an aircraft carrier have been compared to a ballet.
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