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USS Cheyenne Deploys to Western Pacific
Story Number: NNS041013-01
Release Date: 10/13/2004 12:19:00 PM
By Journalist 3rd Class Corwin Colbert, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- USS Cheyenne (SSN 773) departed for a Western Pacific deployment from its homeport of Pearl Harbor Oct. 8.
According to Cheyenne's commanding officer, Cmdr. Richard Testyon, the crew worked hard to prepare for this deployment.
“Cheyenne has worked very hard to get ready for this deployment,” said Testyon. “We have gone through an extensive work-up period. We did some sea-based training and some indoor training at the training center here. We also worked with other submarines, aircraft, and surface ships from the Coast Guard and the Navy."
Cheyenne was the first U.S. warship to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Now 18 months after that deployment, one of Cheyenne’s final tests before deployment was the strike certification.
“When we do our strike certification, it’s as if we were in a real life strike scenario, such as Iraqi Freedom,” said Fire Control Technician 1st Class Tony Goodner.
“The reason we do these certifications - or any certifications or training - is because we may have upgraded weapons systems or have new people operating the equipment," said Goodner. "We want to make sure we are ready, fully trained and capable of performing whatever we are tasked to do."
Goodner said from what he could see, the strike team aboard is ready and motivated for whatever tasks may lie ahead.
Testyon contributes the morale and motivation of the crew to the support of family members and friends.
“The crew’s morale is unbelievably high. I have never been with a group of Sailors who are so easy to work with or who are as motivated as this crew," said Testyon. "If it were not for the support of our families and friends, this would be harder to do."
Cheyenne is the newest submarine in the Pacific Submarine Force. Commissioned in Sept. 1996, it is the 62nd Los Angles-class submarine. It is approximately 360 feet long and carries a crew of 130 men.
For related news, visit the Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/subpac.
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