Sailors aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) recently took a break from their schedules to gather on the flight deck for a
steel beach picnic.
Sailors put work on the back-burner and engaged in various sporting events, listened to music performed by Lincoln’s own
rock band, Death By Chicken, and DJ Onitap of the ship’s KRUZ Radio, and ate barbecue.
“A steel beach picnic is a great morale booster,” said Culinary Specialist 1st Class (AW) Joseph Tenorio, Lincoln Supply
Department. “It’s a one-of-a-kind experience. Nowhere else in the world can you have a barbecue on a flight deck. It’s
definitely unique.”
Machinist’s Mate Fireman Phillip Smith, Lincoln Engineering Department, said he had a good time at the steel beach picnic.
“The steak was really good, and I liked the band,” Smith said. “It boosts morale and makes us [Sailors] feel normal again. It
gives me that home feeling.”
Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Rashad Jones, Lincoln Engineering Department, echoed Smith about feeling at home at the picnic.
“I think events like this make us more civilized to one another,” he said. “We get to relax and hang out and not deal with the stresses of deployment for a few hours. I think we should do these more often.”
As Sailors tossed a football around, ate steaks and burgers or just enjoyed the company of their shipmates, members of Lincoln’s Supply Department’s S-2, S-5 and S-11 divisions were busy cooking, organizing and making sure everything went as planned, Tenorio said.
“It’s a lot of hard work,” Tenorio said. “But, it’s definitely worth it. I am happy to do this for the crew. It feels like the Fourth of July. I just hope everyone enjoys it. It’s meant to allow the crew unwind and relax.”
Lincoln’s Commanding Officer, Capt. Patrick Hall, said the steel beach picnic was a well-deserved event.
“You guys earned this, so enjoy it,” Hall said over the 1MC public address system. “I’d like to say thank you to all the people putting this on for us. You all worked together to get things done and I think everyone had a good time overall. Good job to everyone.”
Lincoln is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom as well as Maritime Security Operations (MSO). Operations in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility are focused on reassuring regional partners of the United States’ commitment to security, which promotes stability and global prosperity.