With the US spending more than $2 trillion annually on its military, the armed forces have steadily earned a reputation for being expensive. The United States Navy periodically demonstrates its power through exhibition shows, parading in oceans around the world with their carrier strike groups. The aircraft carrier serves as the centerpiece of the carrier strike group, which also consists of a cruiser, destroyer squadron, and support ships. Ever since the Pacific War during World War II, the aircraft carrier has been an integral part of the Navy, but what is it like to actually serve on a carrier?
To answer this question, we must understand the structure of the carrier. The top deck is always the most recognizable, with its diagonal runway and catapults capable of launching 15-ton aircraft at speeds upwards of 170 miles per hour. Due to jets taking off all around them with thrusts powerful enough to blow a person off the 90 foot deck above the water, the sailors working on the flight deck are in the most danger. Below the flight deck is the hangar, which is divided by 4 massive sliding doors that can hold up to 60 aircraft, fuel, and ammunition. Then, below the hangar is the engine room, where temperatures periodically reach 140 °F. To prevent illness and heat strokes, sailors who work in the engine room are required to take breaks every hour.
For up to nine months at a time, the sailors are constantly at their stations. Since most of the stations are below deck, almost 4,000 people go for months without seeing sunlight. In order to feed this massive workforce, kitchens work diligently to cook meals using the over 1,000 tons of food loaded up at the beginning of every mission.
Although the lives of sailors on an aircraft carrier are tough, there are a few opportunities for recreation. Sailors have access to a full gym with a variety of machines and activities, and on some rare occasions, sailors have the opportunity to participate in a swim call, where they jump into the ocean.
The job of an aircraft carrier sailor is a highly labor intensive job, and we should be grateful for the sacrifices that these courageous sailors make to protect our country day and night.