Welcome Aboard!
The USNS NIAGARA FALLS (T-AFS 3) is a Combat Logistics Force (CLF) ship, specifically designed to deliver large quantities of frozen, chilled and dry provisions, ship’s store resale items, technical repair parts, and general use consumables to fleet task forces operating at sea. Cargo stowage capacity exceeds 596,000 cubic feet. With this stowage capacity, the NIAGARA FALLS can provide the major portion of the logistics requirements that modern naval vessels demand and enables naval combatants to remain at sea for long periods of time conducting uninterrupted operations in support of our national military strategy.
NIAGARA FALLS can best be described as a “Floating Supermarket”. Many of the items found in the typical home are securely stowed here and ready for issue to a needy customer. Everything from clothes to watermelons, office supplies to lobster, all stored within our cargo holds. Our trademark is versatility; our spirit is “Can Do”, our motto is “THE MIGHTY FALLS DOES IT ALL”.
The 115 Civilian Mariners, 28 shipboard military personnel and the 30 helicopter detachment personnel have at their disposal the most modern and effective equipment to handle and transfer the massive quantities of stores carried on board. This equipment includes elevators, fork trucks, pallet and package conveyors and a ram tensioning system for conventional alongside replenishment operations.
Our ship is equipped to transfer all material and supplies from six conventional replenishment transfer stations and through vertical replenishment techniques using our two embarked US Navy helicopters.
Conventional replenishment (CONREP) is made possible by connecting a tensioned wire between two ships steaming alongside each other. Supplies are then suspended from a trolley, which rides on this cable. The trolley is sent to the receiving ship and returned by smaller cables attached to it. The cables are controlled by winches and the winch operators who take great pride in their ability to deliver supplies via CONREP quickly and safely to the customer.
Vertical replenishment (VERTREP) is a much simpler operation. One US Navy helicopter is capable of lifting about two tons of material to the receiving ship’s flight deck. Carrying the customer’s supplies in strong nylon cargo nets, the helicopters fly our cargo to the customer ship for which the pallets are marked, sets the supplies on their deck and returns for another load.
The NIAGARA FALLS can CONREP two ships alongside simultaneously, one ship on each side, with six transfer stations in operation. We can also VERTREP other standoff ships at the same time using our two MH-60 helicopters at VERTREP distances of 300-500 yards. No other Navy in the world can match our logistic re-supply capabilities. The crewmembers of USNS NIAGARA FALLS are proud of the role their ship plays in keeping naval combatant forces ready and vigilant during the performance of national military tasking.
Aside from getting settled in your stateroom as you join the Niagara Falls, there are a few steps you should take to acquaint yourself with this vessel. Most importantly, you need to find out your billet number from the Purser. With this number, you can consult the station bill to find out all of your emergency station duties and locations as well as your life raft. All of this information is of paramount importance due to the generally chaotic environment in which it must be remembered. In most cases, there will be weekly fire and boat drills to refresh your memory on your responsibilities as well as introduce you to and maintain knowledge of equipment used in emergency situations.
This document is posted in various locations throughout the ship including many of the general passageways on each deck in berthing areas, in general areas such as mess halls, and other various locations in which personnel may generally transit. On this document you will find a plethora of information including sound signals for emergency situations, a list of the entire crew (by position and billet number, including yours) listing all station locations for various emergency scenarios, general safety at sea instruction, and a profile lay-out of the ship. If not already known, please take the time to familiarize yourself with and memorize the sound signals that signal the various emergency situations.
The organization of the USNS NIAGARA FALLS begins with the Ship’s Master, who is called the Captain. From there, the ship has five distinct departments. They are the deck, engine, supply, communications and military departments. A detailed breakdown of the shipboard organization is attached. There are civilian and military personnel (licensed/unlicensed and officer/enlisted) aboard the Niagara Falls. All are considered shipmates with no distinction between departments or branches of service, we are one ship with one crew and celebrate our diversity. Each and every crewmember is treated with respect and dignity. We are all professional mariners and as shipmates, must take care of each other. The path that goes from the Captain to you is called the Chain of Command and begins with your immediate supervisor. It goes up (and down) from there. You are expected to utilize the Chain of Command as much as possible since that gives every supervisor an opportunity to resolve issues at the lowest level possible. The Captain does have an open door policy and if you can’t work something in the normal chain of command, you can stop by and see the Captain.
The purser is the shipboard officer who performs certain organizational tasks including civilian crewmember paperwork, mail, meal payment (military and air detachment personnel), and other miscellaneous tasks. You can send letters and receive mail via the Purser. The NIAGARA FALLS does not have a post office so things like mailing packages, getting a money order and other postal functions must be accomplished at post offices in what ever port the ship happens to be. Your mailing address aboard the ship is:
NAME
Department
USNS Niagara Falls (T-AFS 3)
FPO AP 96673-4009
Mail that is sent to you goes through the Fleet Post Office. Please be aware that mail sometimes takes a long time to get to the ship, especially if the ship's schedule changes unexpectedly (usually due to world events). It is not recommended you use the ship's address as your home mailing address. Automatic bill paying, use of the Internet and having someone at home taking care of your mail are all ways of solving the slow nature of the mail aboard a ship.
The Medical Services Officer (MSO) is the shipboard official charged with addressing the medical issues for the crew.
There are three mess halls for the use of the crew.
The ship’s library is stocked with various titles for the use of the entire crew. The use and maintenance of the library is a responsibility for all that choose to use it, please do not abuse this privilege. If you have a book or magazine, of appropriate nature, that you are no longer using and wish to place it in the library please do so. The library is also used for meetings and training classes for military and civilian crewmembers. In addition, there are two computers in the library that are available for use of the entire crew. These two computers have Internet access.
The Niagara Falls has ample physical fitness facilities for the use of the crew. One gym has various free weights, machines and bench equipment. Various cardiovascular equipment is located in a second gym where you can find equipment that includes a stationary bike, treadmill, stair machine, and rowing machine.
There are two lounges for the use of the entire ship's crew. The lounge for the unlicensed and enlisted members of the crew have a TV and DVD player with ample room for the viewing of movies and other videos. In addition, there are tables for the use of the crew to play games, read, etc. Also, there are two computers in this lounge that allow access to the Internet. Officers have a separate lounge with similar features.
The Ship’s Operations and Regulations Manual (SORM) is a computer based gathering of Ship’s Instructions that details how business is conducted aboard the NIAGARA FALLS. There is an icon on every computer on the ship that will take you to the SORM index. From this index you can be linked to specific instructions on things ranging from how we recover lost steering to how we manage our coffee messes. Just about every evolution that happens aboard the ship is written down here from man overboard procedures to visitor policies. It is the source of a great deal of information and it is recommended you spend some time reviewing it. If you can’t find it on the computer, your supervisor, department head or ship’s Purser can assist you.
There is a closed circuit system aboard the Niagara Falls in which personnel may view movies from the ship’s movie collection. The movies shown on this system are scheduled by the operators of the system based on requests of the crew. Aside from the shipboard system, members of the crew may check out and view movies on their own players or in their respective lounge area. A ship’s Instruction in the SORM covers this program.
The ship’s store carries various items. An extensive list of the inventory, including respective prices, is posted just outside of the ship’s store. Included in the inventory of the store are clothing articles bearing the ship’s name, food and beverages, toiletries, magazines, and other miscellaneous goods.
There are two vending machines for use of the crew. One of the two machines carry carbonated beverages. The second vending machine is stocked with various snacks and cigarettes. When cargo operations are ongoing, these vending machines are off-limits due to the high (and fast) forktruck traffic present. Always look both ways for forktruck traffic on the main deck and always remain aware of your surroundings.
There are four laundry rooms for the use of the ship's crew for personal laundering purposes. Use of the facilities is free and detergent is provided. It is important that the condition of theses laundry rooms are preserved by all that use them so that the entire crew has the chance to use the facilities in a clean environment.
Safety is a concern for every crewmember. Likewise, the enforcement and execution of all safety rules must be an issue for all crewmembers. Specifically, there are five areas that are designated as authorized smoking locations aboard the ship. In each of these locations there are receptacles for the placement of used smoking paraphernalia. There is NO SMOKING INSIDE THE SKIN OF THE SHIP. This means no smoking in either shared or private cabins or heads. Please read the smoking instruction contained in the SORM for details about smoking.
The ship has an electronic mail system onboard for crew members. You will be provided with your own e-mail address and will be able to communicate off the ship via that address. Computers for your specific department are available for limited use in addition to two computers in the library and two computers in the crew lounge that are for general use. The communications policy is contained in the ship's SORM. Be aware that the ship's schedule is classified and you may not publish it in any fashion. Be very cautious with information that you permit to go off the ship. E-mail is subject to random monitoring and you will be held personally responsible for any breaches of security.
The use of the Internet aboard the ship is considered a privilege and is not to be taken lightly. Any abuse of the prescribed internet policy as written in the SORM will result in the suspension of usage rights for a period of time to be determined by the ship's Master. At present, every crewmember has access to the Internet. All hands are requested to minimize time spent on the Internet to provide all hands an equal opportunity. When not actively surfing the Internet, please close the browsers. It is considered a disciplinary offense to alter the configuration of any computer to access the Internet without the expressed permission of the Master. Additionally, Instant Messenger programs and CHAT create a tremendous security problem for the firewall. Is expressly forbidden to download or USE any CHAT or Instant Messenger programs.
The threat of terrorism looms large for anyone even remotely connected with the US military and especially for us as we are very obviously in support of the US military and spend all of our time overseas. Accordingly, your personal safety and the safety of the ship and your shipmates is an all-hands responsibility. The Chief Mate is the Physical Security Officer and will be briefing you on your specific duties and responsibilities for Force Protection.
Should you find that anything in your cabin, workspace or anywhere around the ship is broken, burned out or just not functioning, you can get a Ship's Force Work Request from your supervisor to fill out and give to the Chief Engineer (the Repair Officer).
Safety is one of the top priorities aboard the NIAGARA FALLS and it is an all-hands responsibility. Since you are just reporting aboard, you are the most valuable safety person we have. You are looking at the ship with a "new" set of eyes and may spot things that are unsafe that those who have been aboard longer may overlook on a daily basis. If you do notice something that is unsafe, you have a duty to your shipmates and yourself to report it. You can report in it in several ways. The first is to just report it verbally to your supervisor, the second is to report it on a Ship's Force Work Request form and note that it is a "safety item". The third is to submit a SAFETY HAZARD REPORT. These reports are kept right next to the galley serving line and you can submit it without including your name if you choose. The same box that has the blank report forms is the same box you can leave the completed report in (kind of like a mailbox). We are all out here to earn a living and getting injured is not part of the plan.
Military personnel assigned to the NIAGARA FALLS fall under the Military Code of Uniform Justice (UCMJ). Civilian Mariners (CIVMARS) are covered by the Civilian Marine Personnel Instruction (CMPI). The CMPI is a compilation of rules and regulations that have been negotiated over the years between the various maritime unions and the Military Sealift Command. It contains 43 Ship's Orders that all crewmembers must abide by as well as detailing the work and compensation rules for all CIVMARS. The ship's Purser maintains a copy of the CMPI for the ship's crew.
The NIAGARA FALLS has a very simple rule for male and female crewmembers to visit each other in their cabins aboard the ship. NO crewmember may visit any other crewmember in their stateroom.
