USNS Patuxent is one of 14 Military Sealift Command oilers providing fuel to the U.S. Navy fleet and jet fuel for aircraft aboard aircraft carriers at sea through a process called underway replenishment. While conducting refueling operations is hard and time-consuming work, it is not the only mission the 81 civilian mariners aboard Patuxent have to complete. Working to maintain and operate a 42,000-ton oiler and sustain the crew on board is more than a full-time job.
 |
| Engineers check the ship’s filters daily to ensure that the engine is free from contaminants and debris. Third Assistant Engineer Cal Saunders changes a main engine rocker arm strainer. “Rocker arms operate air and exhaust valves and have their own separate lubrication system. We monitor all of the individual filtration systems to make sure that the lubrication oil and fuel are clean,” Saunders said. “It’s like checking the oil in your car.” |
|
 |
| Signalman Second Class Shondon Martin, USN, communicates with U.S. Navy fast combat support ship USS Seattle using signal flags during an underway replenishment off the Virginia Capes. Flag signals are one of the many ways Navy ships communicate with each other at sea. |
|
 |
| As part of their education, maritime academy cadets live and work aboard USNS ships at sea for practical shipboard training. Cargo Engineer James A. Russell (right) instructs United States Merchant Marine Academy cadets Nate Pickard (middle) and Devon Pearson (left) on how to use the Cargo and Ballast Control Console. The cadets learn how to perform cargo fuel transfer, a process that moves fuel from cargo tanks to engine room fuel tanks. |
|
 |
| Healthy meals are key in the first-rate quality of life of MSC mariners at sea. Assistant cooks Terrence Harris (back) and Pamela Hunter (front) prepare lunch for Patuxent’s crew. The ship offers vegetarian-friendly options such as a salad bar, as well as the Healthy Heart program for mariners. Fruit and other wholesome snacks are also available. |
|
 |
| The crew of USNS Patuxent stays busy with ship maintenance when not refueling U.S. Navy ships. Third mate Ursula Rutledge (right) gives pointers to Able Seaman Lazaro Marin (left) as he sands the deck before applying a new coat of paint. |
|
|
