Navy Dads

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Aviation Boatswain's Mate

This group is for all ABs (ABE/ABF/ABH) family and friends!

"Guardians of the Flight Deck"...

Website: http://www.navydads.ning.com/group/aviation-boatswain-s-mate-ab
Members: 48
Latest Activity: May 25, 2023

Job Description:

- ABs Rates & Rating -

  • E-1 Airman Recruit (ABEAR/ABFAR/ABHAR)
  • E-2 Airman Apprentice (ABEAA/ABFAA/ABHAA)
  • E-3 Airman (ABEAN/ABFAN/ABHAN)
  • E-4 Petty Officer Third Class (ABE3/ABF3/ABH3)
  • E-5 Petty Officer Second Class (ABE2/ABF2/ABH2)
  • E-6 Petty Officer First Class (ABE1/ABF1/ABH1)
  • E-7 Chief Petty Officer (ABEC/ABFC/ABHC)
  • E-8 Senior Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (ABCS)
  • E-9 Master Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (ABCM)

ABs are ships company, not air-wing personnel. They work with and maintain catapults and arresting gear (green shirts), aviation fuel supply systems (grapes), and move aircraft on the hangar deck and flight deck (yellow shirts). They wear red shirts when they man the crash-and-salvage and fire fighting equipment. They do maintenance below decks where their equipment is housed-the parts you can't see on the flight deck...

The Air Department aboard the Aircraft Carrier consists of the following Divisions:

V-1 Division - responsible for moving aircraft on the flight deck and "spotting" catapults. They are also responsible for making sure the flight deck is free of foreign object debris (FOD).

V-2 Division - maintains and operates all of the catapult launching and arresting gear.

V-3 Division - has about 80 people and is responsible for moving aircraft in the hangar bay.

V-4 Division - has about 50-60 people who work on the flight deck; fueling aircraft, defueling aircraft and repairing fuel stations.

V-5 Division - consisting of approximately 15 Sailors, handles primary flight control. This division works with the air boss and keeps track of all of the aircraft.

Five People control Operations on the Flight Deck:

Air Boss - directs all aspects of flight deck operations from Primary Flight Control, the carrier's control tower, including launching, recovery and shipboard handling of the aircraft.

Mini Boss - the Air Boss' assistant in directing operations on the flight deck.

The Handler - directs the handling of the aircraft on the flight deck and in the hangar bay.

Air Bos'n - supervises crash crews and fire parties in handling aircraft emergencies during flight and general Quarters.

LSO - Landing Signal Officer, monitors and directs the final approach and landing of every fixed wing aircraft.



The Aviation Boatswain's Mates Prayer

I am convinced, Our Father, that your fondest feelings are reserved
for the least pretentions and most genuine of us.
I am sure that Aviation Boatwain's Mates are some of your favorites.
Certainly Aviation Boatwain's Mates have yet to find the virtues of
humility, or soft-spokenness or gentleness...
They do lead with their jaws...
And they always seem to be more ready to fight than to switch.
They can be singled out by their red eyes,
and by a grubbiness, which is a mark of their trade.
But their wills match their strong backs...
And their love of each other is a wondrous thing to behold.
They are the salt of the deck...
And the saltiness is honest and open...
And they are uniquely Your sons. We are grateful for them...
As you love them specially, we mark them particularly tonight.
Bless them every one...
And forever keep them from harm and hurt...
In Christ's name, Amen.

-- R. W. Bedingfield, Chaplain (USN)

ABMA | facebook

Discussion Forum

Where are your AB's?

Started by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary. Last reply by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary May 25, 2015. 20 Replies

My ABH is currently serving on the USS Anchorage (LPD 23) homeported in San Diego, CA. How about yours?Continue

Tags: handling, handler, fuels, flight, launch

From Blue to Yellow: Evolution of an Aviation Boatswain's Mate...

Started by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary Jun 17, 2013. 0 Replies

Story Number: NNS130604-10Release Date: 6/4/2013 12:30:00 PMBy Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jonathan Vargas, USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) Public AffairsUSS KEARSARGE, At Sea (NNS) -- Imagine…Continue

Tags: LSE, Yellow Shirt, Blue Shirt, Aviation Boatswain's Mate, ABH

Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of Aviation Boatswain's Mate to add comments!

Comment by Rod Clark on December 9, 2015 at 11:36am

Good luck to him.  My son had 3.9 in his evals, some good award points, not sure how he did on test must have been good.

Comment by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary on December 9, 2015 at 11:04am

Rod I couldn't agree more! It appears that the quotas for E5-E6 gets tighter and tighter every year and it's not like it's been loose lately either.

BZ to your Son on his E-6 advancement! My son is looking to achieve this in 2017 when TIR date is up. I'm not holding my breath but will be optimistic!

Comment by Rod Clark on December 9, 2015 at 9:57am

AB is becoming a tight rate if you are looking to stay in.  My son just made E6 (ABH1) in the last cycle.  He was one of ten out of 453 to make it.  He is in V3 on the IKE.

Comment by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary on November 30, 2015 at 3:59pm

151129-N-FI568-066 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Nov. 29, 2015) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 1st Class Manuel Arias signals to an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Dusty Dogs of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7 to lower its cargo onto the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during a replenishment at sea with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196). Dwight D. Eisenhower\, with embarked Carrier Air Wing 3\, is underway conducting the Tailored Ship's Training Availability (TSTA) and Final Evaluation Problem (FEP) as part of the basic phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Taylor L. Jackson/Released)

Comment by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary on November 30, 2015 at 3:59pm

Russell Welcome to the group!

Comment by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary on November 11, 2015 at 9:21am

John Welcome to the group!

Comment by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary on September 24, 2015 at 10:57am

150921-N-HP061-027 ARABIAN GULF (Sept. 21, 2015) Aviation Boatswains Mate (Handling) 1st Class Kaleb Willi, right, instructs Aviation Boatswains Mate (Handling) Airman Chelsea Nelson on how to properly hold the nozzle of a fire hose during a fire drill in the hangar bay aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). Essex is the flagship of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (15th MEU), is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Donavan K. Patubo/Released)

Comment by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary on August 19, 2015 at 6:16pm

Comment by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary on June 7, 2015 at 10:50am

PACIFIC OCEAN (June 3, 2015) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuels) Airman Steven Harrison fires an M240 machine gun from the bridge wing of San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23) during a live-fire exercise. The Essex Amphibious Ready Group is currently operating in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Liam Kennedy/Released)

Comment by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary on May 25, 2015 at 7:10pm

Louis Welcome to the group!

 

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