A Brief Note On The United States Navy Culture

Generally, one immediately associates different cultures to different countries, but differing cultures can reside within a country or organization. Culture is commonly thought of as a social system with a high level of uniformity (Rathje, 2009). The United States Navy (US Navy) is an example of an organization with several cultures within its structure. Cultures between the submarine Navy, aviation Navy, surface Navy, construction battalions (Seabees), and special operations differ greatly from each other. As a member of Strike Fighter Squadron NINE SEVEN (VFA-97), I will deploy onboard the USS Carl Vinson. To succeed during the deployment, I must successfully immerse myself into the surface Navy culture onboard the ship. This paper

The crew consist of approximately 2,500 sailors that operate and maintain the US aircraft carrier at sea. The culture of the surface Navy differs greatly from the culture of the aviation Navy, and in my experience, every aircraft carrier operates a little different from the others. I have not been onboard an aircraft carrier since 2013, and have not been on the USS Carl Vinson since 2003. I will need to work closely with the supply department, the aircraft component repair department, the divisions in charge of our spaces, and other ship facilities to ensure my squadron receives everything required to operate our aircraft at sea. The upcoming Tailored Ship’s Training Availability Detachment (TSTA det) will be my first opportunity to work with the Supply Officer, AIMD Maintenance Officer, Aircraft Handling Officer, Flight Deck Officer, and other leadership for the ship while operating at sea. We all must work together to complete the Strike Group’s mission regardless of our separate cultural practices. However, both the ship and aviation cultures often operate in an “us vs. them”

TSTA is the first opportunity for ship and carrier airwing integration at sea in flight operations, search and rescue, and mishap training in preparation for deployment (Department of the Navy, 2022). During TSTA, the ship and airwing must work together to illustrate their ability to safely conduct flight operations at sea. During the detachment, I will work closely with the Aircraft Handling Officer, Supply Officer, and AIMD Maintenance Officer to ensure all our needs are met. We will meet daily during the detachment to discuss needs and priority of needs to ensure we all meet our mission requirements. Our ability to find common ground is imperative to completing the TSTA Det requirements as