It is a training environment—tense, but highly coordinated. Flight Deck Control is bustling with activity on board the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier currently deployed to the U.S. Navy 5th Fleet area of responsibility. Sailors in float coats of all colors are coming in to the space relaying information. A buzz of voices fills the room. A Yellow Shirt sits observing and listening. He watches the situation unfolding on the flight deck.
The scenario is a fire on the flight deck.  The fire is not real, but, the training is. 
Watching the situation unfold, it is easy to see how communication and teamwork play an important role whether for training or executing missions.
Teamwork is mission critical in every division on board USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), including Air Department’s Flight Deck Control. The members of this division must work together as a team every day to ensure jobs are performed safely and accurately.
Sailors of Flight Deck Control monitor aircraft on the flight deck. They are in charge of aircraft logistics, flight deck observation, fuel distribution to aircraft, hangar bay elevators and emergency aircraft procedures. They wear jerseys of all colors including yellow, indicating aircraft movement, purple, indicating fueling, and green, indicating the handling of catapults and arresting gear.
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Airman Jeremy Battle, from Atlanta, works in Flight Deck Control.
“It’s a cool job,” Battle said.  “I’m the ‘OBC,’ or Ouija Board coordinator; I move templates on the OB.”
The “Ouija Board,” or OB, is an island shaped, scale model in the middle of the flight control room that represents the ship’s flight deck and sub-level hangar bays. Operators use the OB for logistics in real-time placement of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
“This is the nucleus of flight operations,” Battle said. “The Yellow Shirts come in and look at the Ouija Board to see a real-time scenario of what’s happening,” he said.  “If we didn’t move templates in here, the deck [Yellow Shirts] wouldn’t know what’s going on,” Battle said.
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) (AW) 1st Class Dionicio Garza, from Los Fresno, Texas, is an aircraft director.
“I direct all aircraft on the flight deck and supervise everyone on the flight deck- all 4.3 acres,” Garza said.
Although Garza works long hours, he said he doesn’t mind it.
“I love this job; it’s fun and interesting,” Garza said. “I’m constantly doing different things.”
Another area of responsibility Flight Deck Control manages is fuel distribution.  Lincoln’s fuel tanks can hold more than 3.2 million gallons of JP-5 jet fuel.  Each aircraft can hold between 12,000 and 28,000 pounds of fuel.
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) Airman Christopher Rolling, of Madison, Wis., works in Flight Deck Control, making sure aircraft receive fuel in a timely manner.
“I coordinate where all the crews go as far as fueling stations,” Rolling said.  “Jets don’t go anywhere without this ‘fine wine.’”
During a replenishment at sea, or RAS, working together becomes especially important for Flight Deck Control. 
“We refuel helos during RAS,” Rolling said.  “Teamwork is very important, if one person fails, we all fail. We are the eyes and ears of the flight deck.”
The mission of Abraham Lincoln hinges on its ability to launch and recover aircraft. Because of the constantly changing landscape of the flight deck, teamwork is essential.
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handler) (AW) 3rd Class Jason Matson can attest to that.
“We depend on each other,” Matson said. “Other shipmates from the flight deck come in here looking for accurate information so communication and teamwork are very important.”
The Sailors of Flight Deck Control live up to this challenge by performing their day-to-day operations with clear communication and coordination.