Many Sailors go about their daily routine without giving the weather much thought. The fact that it’s overcast or rainy could just mean the softball game or the trip to the beach has been cancelled.  However, what some Sailors chose to ignore, a small group of people aboard USS Abraham Lincoln pay close attention to.

Lincoln’s highly trained Aerographer’s Mates (AG’s) use scientific equipment, education, and experience to help them do their job.

“When we have a difficult time determining the distance of rain clouds,” said Aerographers Mate 3rd Class Doron Dill. “We go back to the office and use a machine called the SPA-5.  It determines how far away the storm actually is.”

Another piece of equipment the AG’s can use is the SMQ-11.  Although it’s a back up to the Internet, the SMQ-11 receives a correct picture of the surrounding atmospheric conditions. 

Dill added after they collect the data from the machinery, the information is placed on a scroller that broadcasts on a closed circuit television system.  The bridge, CDC and all of the ready rooms get the weather station.

The AG’s job may not sound very important, but it’s an essential element when flight ops are going on.

“Flight ops is critical to us because we have to have 25 knots of wind across the flight deck and as soon as we get any type of crosswind there’s a possibility of an aircraft crash,” said Aerographer’s Mate 1st Class (AW/SW) Wendy Flowers, OA’s leading petty officer.  “So we’re always concerned about the direction and the speed of the wind.”

The AG “A” school trains Sailors in the basics of meteorology while touching on specifics like how to read satellite and radar imagery, plotting weather charts and oceanography.

“Oceanography was the hardest part; it was the most confusing because it’s so in-depth,” said Dill.  “We learned different densities in the water, how sound travels and what affects it, and how sound bounces in the water.”

Dill went on to mention that they work with Aviation Warfare Systems Operators (AWs), their data assists AW’s in submarine hunting.

“We predict what their sonar range is going to be based on atmospheric conditions,” said Aerographer’s Mate David Bjorkman. “That way we can determine where the best places to put sonar sensors in order pick up the enemy from greater distances without being detected.”

AG’s come to the fleet trained to observe the weather. Predicting what the weather will do is another session of classes.

“Technically we’re not meteorologists, we’re weather observers,” said Dill. “You don’t become a forecaster until you go to school for it. All the First Class Aerographer’s Mates here are weather forecasters, they’ve gone to the ‘C’ school.”

The observer’s efforts don’t go in “vane.” Forecasters take the information gathered in order to keep an eye on any trends that might occur.

“The forecasters use the observer’s observations to look to see if there is a trend in the weather or to notice any changes,” said Flowers.  “Observers keep the ship safe in the now time, where the forecaster tries to keep ahead of the ship.”

Through constant monitoring of the sky and ocean, trained people and teamwork, Lincoln’s AG’s help keep Abe’s air wing landing safely and the sub-hunting team good to go.