A Word from John W. Scherer About "Leaders to Sea"

When the U.S. Navy invited me to spend a day with them as part of their "Leaders to Sea" program, I was overwhelmed with honor. After all, I was being invited to take a close-up look at our Navy's operations at sea aboard a magnificent ship: the guided missile cruiser, USS Lake Champlain (CG-57). Needless to say, I eagerly planned a travel budget and scheduled my transportation right away.

At 06:45 on June 23, 2005, I reported to the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, located directly across the bay from downtown San Diego, California on Coronado Island. To start my highly anticipated "Leaders to Sea" experience, Vice Admiral Terry Etnyre of the Naval Surface Forces briefed me on the Navy, the men and women who serve in it, and what I should expect from my day at sea aboard the USS Lake Champlain.

Just before 08:00, I boarded a Navy H-60 Seahawk helicopter for my flight out to the ship, already at sea off the California coast. As we passed over the Pacific, I saw a nuclear attack submarine also heading out to sea. The submarine's crew was on the bridge getting one last look at daylight before submerging; it was a magnificent sight.

A short while later, we approached the ship and touched down effortlessly on the helipad. Captain Donald "Pat" Roane, Jr. greeted me once on board and explained his role on the USS Lake Champlain. The ship and crew are his responsibility, and he takes that very seriously.

There are 370 crew members that call the USS Lake Champlain home. Even at 565 feet long, the ship is just like any other: quarters are cramped and privacy is rare. I was amazed to find there was absolutely no wasted space; every nook and cranny was filled with something! I was struck by the professionalism and dedication of the crew. A well-defined chain of command was certainly obvious, but it was also apparent the crewmembers were a team, a family.

Powered by twin 80000shp gas turbines, I learned that the USS Lake Champlain can steam at 30 knots! The ship carries missiles, twin phalanx guns, cannons, and two helicopters. I was impressed by the technology used to operate the ship, its weapons, and its equipment. Even more impressive was the crew operating it all. In the main combat operations center, I felt like I was on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. Giant screen monitors surrounded me, and the room was filled with crewmembers working at computer consoles.

Too soon, my day aboard the USS Lake Champlain came to an end. We boarded the Seahawk for the flight back to San Diego.

En route back, I thought about the officers and crew that came from all across America—big cities and small—with one common purpose: to defend America. I realized just how proud I was of all these fine men and women, and I slept better that night, knowing they were on guard.

I cannot think of any better way to spend a day.

John W. Scherer
June 23, 2005

The "Leaders to Sea" program is specifically designed for influential individuals who are active in business, government, or the community, or for those who are active communicators or opinion leaders. The program allows our U.S. Navy to tell its story to community leaders and provides the unique opportunity to promote citizen awareness and understanding for its role, mission, and training procedures.

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