Lincoln's All Female Catapult Team Gets the Job Done

By Brian Morales

USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, At Sea—Fourteen female Sailors assigned to USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN 72) Air Department formed an all-female catapult crew to launch aircraft in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Jan. 23, 2011.

Thirteen Aviation Boatswain’s Mates (Equipment) joined catapult and arresting gear officer, or “shooter”, Lt. Cmdr. Jessica Parker to form the all- female launch crew, manning critical positions such as topside safety petty officer and catapult deck edge operator to launch the missions over the deck.

On and below the flight deck, 167 ABEs maintain and operate the catapults on a daily basis; six percent of which are females.

“The rate for females only opened up not too long ago,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Airman Sheila Seripap, from Atlanta, Ga. “Every work center only has a handful of females in it.”

Lincoln’s ABEs work long days and nights to keep the catapults in a readiness condition, which has led to more than 1,400 sortie missions launched since October 2010 in support of OEF.

“Aviation Boatswain’s Mates are some of the hardest working people on the flight deck of the ship. It is not that many of us, but we can do it,” said Seripap.

Lt. Cmdr. Jessica Parker, from St. Louis, the only female shooter aboard Lincoln, inspected the waist catapults prior to flight operations and signaled the launch of aircraft. She attributed the unique opportunity to field an all-female team to the tenacity of the team members.

“If it weren’t for the guys training the women, and the women having the courage to work in the most dangerous four and a half acres of sovereign U.S. territory there is, then we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to have an all-female catapult crew,” Parker said. “These ladies are awesome, and the guys they work with are awesome too.”

The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts.

110123-N-YB753-024 Aviation Boatswain’s Mates (Equipment) 3rd Class Shannon Eck, from Youngsville, Pa., and Stephanie J. Lopez, from Vancouver, Wash., review the center deck operator log for catapults three and four aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Female personnel assigned to Lincoln’s Air Department participated in an all-female catapult crew event during flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.	110123-N-YB753-015 Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Airman Holly Brooks, from Aurora, Colo., applies grease to the shuttle of a catapult aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Female personnel assigned to Lincoln’s Air Department participated in an all-female catapult crew event during flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.	110123-N-YB753-030 Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Airman Tonya Klinger, from Schnecksville, Pa., writes down the weight of an aircraft prior to launch operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).
110123-N-YB753-105 Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Susan Brussee directs an F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Vigilantes of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 151 during flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).	110123-N-YB753-118 Lt. Cmdr. Jessica Parker, from St. Louis, signals the launch of an F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Vigilantes of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 151 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).	110123-N-YB753-113 Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Susan Brussee signals to the shooter, Lt. Cmdr. Jessica Parker that an aircraft is ready for launch aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).
110123-N-YB753-085 Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class Stephanie J. Lopez, from Vancouver, Wash., signals to a female aircraft handler the positioning of an F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the Kestrels of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 137 toward the shuttle of a catapult aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).	110123-N-YB753-179 Female personnel assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN 72) Air Department pose for a group photo after participating in an all-female catapult crew event during flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lincoln's All Female Catapult Team Gets the Job Done

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Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Airman Tonya Klinger, from Schnecksville, Pa., writes down the weight of an aircraft prior to launch operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

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Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Susan Brussee directs an F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Vigilantes of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 151 during flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

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Lt. Cmdr. Jessica Parker, from St. Louis, signals the launch of an F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Vigilantes of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 151 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

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Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Susan Brussee signals to the shooter, Lt. Cmdr. Jessica Parker that an aircraft is ready for launch aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

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Female personnel assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN 72) Air Department pose for a group photo after participating in an all-female catapult crew event during flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.