THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 7, 1996 TAG: 9608060409
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL CONOSCENTI
LENGTH: 60 lines
The alarm goes off early this Sunday morning: I'm up and on my way to the flight deck by 0615.
Outside, the weather is overcast, warm, with a light breeze. Across the deck, air crews prepare their planes for a day that will bustle with flight operations lasting long past sunset.
I am not among those up here awaiting a takeoff, however.
I'm just trying to keep the pounds off.
It's hard to fit in a run at sea with all the flight operations surrounding me, but it's possible if you're willing to sacrifice a little sleep.
So off I go. The steel airstrip I'm running on isn't great for the legs, but it will have to do. I see two other dedicated souls making the loop around the 4.4-acre flight deck, weaving around landing wires, tractors and aircraft. We wave as we pass each other. I suck in the fresh air, enjoying the gentle movement of the ship as this floating air field glides across the Adriatic.
After about 20 minutes, I figure it's time to head down to the new gym to ride the exercise bike and round out my workout. I clamber below and enter the massive hangar bay, crammed bulkhead-to-bulkhead with aircraft and equipment, then snake my way across it.
The gym, new to the ship, opened just before we left Norfolk, in a room suspended from the hangar bay's ceiling. As I head up the stairs I notice that it's pretty busy this morning. I look around for a familiar face, see a few, sign in and head to the stair climber.
Minutes later I'm climbing along, staring out the open hanger bay door at deep blue water. It's easy to drift off on a mental holiday while walking step after step. Ten minutes pass quickly. I move on to the bike.
As I set up the machine I notice the rising activity on the hangar deck below. This is the first aircraft carrier I have been assigned to in my 24 years of naval service, and I am continually amazed at the amount of activity that goes on around me every day.
Just below me, a firefighting team is practicing a fire scenario on one of the aircraft in the hangar bay.
Not far from those sailors, mechanics are elbow-deep, working on their aircraft. Other sailors are hauling supplies to their spaces, and a morning division muster is underway, the day's assignments being passed to the troops.
I slide into my routine and drift off into a daydream, thinking about family, work and friends. Before I know it my journey is complete and I hop down to finish my workout with some weights and abdominal crunches. I look for an open bench and go quickly through my routine.
This is just another Sunday morning for me in ``the box.'' That's what we call our patrol area in the Adriatic Sea, from which we're supporting American and NATO ground forces in Bosnia.
The days have been long and challenging, but certainly not boring. I am happy for the time to do ``PT'' and keep my stamina and energy levels up. My workout done, I head for the shower.
If I were home I'd be relaxing and reading the Sunday paper in the early-morning quiet, waiting for the rest of the family to roll out. Today I clean up, get dressed and head up for some chow before going to the office to check the status of equipment throughout the ship.
Just another early Sunday morning in ``the box.'' MEMO: Lt. Cmdr. Bill Conoscenti is the Enterprise's electrical
maintenance officer. by CNB