Every Sailor aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), whether they’re a culinary specialist, air traffic controller, or master-at-arms,
each plays an important role in how the ship runs.  But who makes sure the ship and crew get to where they’re going safely?
Quartermasters assigned to Lincoln’s Navigation Department are responsible for plotting courses and driving the ship to where
it needs to be.
Quartermaster Seaman Apprentice Eula Ledet, a native of Lake Charles, La., said her department is in charge of many navigational
tools used for moving the ship around.
“We have to plot charts, check the magnetic compass, do position reports, and we give references to the officer of the deck (OOD),
and write down different course and speed changes,” Ledet said.  “Whenever we have different hazards of navigation, we report
those too.”
While all Lincoln Sailors have certain qualifications to obtain, such as, maintenance and material management, damage control, and
damage control petty officer; quartermasters like Ledet have other qualifications they need.  The helmsman and lee helmsman are
just a couple of them.
“Everything that I want to do and be selected for is master helmsman,” Ledet said.  “Master helm does special evolutions like general
quarters, underway replenishment (UNREP), and pulling in and out of port.”
Knowing where to go, how to get there has always been the job of Navigation Department. Quartermaster 3rd Class Sarah Degraw, of
Lebanon, Ore., said modern-day ships have it a lot easier than ships used centuries ago.
“It’s all about the electronic chart display (ECDIS),” Degraw said.  “Columbus didn’t have all this stuff.  He used celestial navigation, which
is really inaccurate.  I think Columbus needed ECDIS.”
While driving the ship on a straight, steady and safe course is always important, it’s not their only job. Quartermaster 3rd Class Amanda
Bruner, of Orlando, Fla., said they also have the task of communicating with other ships through visual communications, often using
things like signal flags.
“Flags are used to let other ships know when we’re in restricted maneuvering, performing flight operations, UNREPs, and transferring fuel,”
Bruner said.  “Each flag means something different.”
One of the signal flags used during an underway replenishment is the red, tapered Bravo flag, which means there is a transfer of flammable
material in progress.  The Golf flag, a blue and yellow, vertically striped flag, signifies which ship is to be guided off of, much like a guidon
is used for marching.  The Oscar flag, a diagonally split, red and yellow flag, signifies that someone has fallen overboard.
Some members of Lincoln’s Navigation department, like Quartermaster 3rd Class (SW) Richard Nute, of Portland, Ore., were once rated as
signalmen before a rating merger brought them together as quartermasters.
“As a signalman, I was responsible for flags, visual communications, semaphore, and flashing light,” Nute said.  “Those are visual communication
skills we use mainly during UNREPs and in close-proximity of other ships.”
While most of their duties consist of plotting courses and driving the ship, greeting dignitaries and high-ranking officials from other countries is
just as important, Bruner said.
According to the Bluejacket’s Manual, between two and eight side boys form up on either side of a gangway, forming a human corridor through
which to render honors. 
“We dress in flight deck gear and look like a rainbow,” Bruner said. “We wear the purples, blues, reds; it’s all out there, and depending on their
rank, a certain number of side boys will be there.”
Cmdr. Charles Luttrell, Lincoln’s Navigator, said the work done by Lincoln quartermasters not only impacts the ship, but the other ships in Carrier
Strike Group (CSG) 9 as well.
“Everything starts with us being in place to launch the ship,” Luttrell said.  “We can’t get away from the pier without Deck Department, or we can’t
move the ship without Reactor Department.  We can’t get to where we need to be without the quartermasters. They do all the plotting for moving
the ship, which relates to working with the strike group, because we have our escorts with us.  And that’s a big thing to think about with all the
planning and moving to the theater and back home.”
Whether it’s out on a deployment, or an underway closer to home, Lincoln Sailors can rest easy knowing the men and women of Navigation Department
are there to keep them safe by pointing them in the right direction.
Lincoln is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility to support Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, as well as, Maritime Security
Operations (MSO).