Being onboard the USS Ronald Reagan while it was at sea was just as impressive as the takeoff and landing. As we disembarked into the Captain’s cabin we were welcomed so warmly it felt as if we had arrived home from a long journey. One of my favorite parts of the day happened here. Chatting with two young men on the crew, about their recent travels to Thailand and their favorite port of Australia. Better yet was seeing their smiles of joy and relief as I spoke with them about how they would soon be home. Sometimes it’s hard to wrap your brain around the young age of so many of these men and women, they were so full of experience and really wore their responsibilities proudly.
A few photos from the Captain’s cabin
My time onboard felt like minutes instead of hours. It all seemed to happen so fast and I can only hope that at times the sailors aboard had that very same feeling. From the Captain’s cabin we climbed up many flights of stairs, which were really ladders, to watch the Captain orchestrate and oversee the many many flights that would begin to unfold right before our very eyes. I was SO excited, we had a bird’s eye view of the dance AND the backstage action all at once! It was crazy, and even though you knew they had done it all countless times before, each time they were just as thorough and meticulous as the last.
Each shirt on the flight deck had a color, and each had an important job to do. Here is a look at the ballet performance, from my first row balcony seats
Before we knew it we were moving again, this time a visit to meet the air traffic controllers. Let me tell you, that place was a party! They take their job and responsibilities very seriously, but they rock and roll at it. Insert Top Gun soundtrack here! Seriously, this place was fast paced, music pumping and humor flying left and right. All I can say is that it was a joy to see there servicemembers having fun and loving their job in spite of their circumstances.
Next, it was time to go underground. The paleness and seriousness in their faces proved a dramatic difference from the dance party we had just left. We basically moved from Top Gun to Hunt For Red October, in just a few flights of stairs. The dedication of each piece of this moving city, this moving ’round the clock job they called home, it really left me in awe. 
We moved onto our last stop for the day, and I had NO IDEA what I was about to experience. We received a briefing about what to expect out on deck, the importance of staying between the two men in yellow, not crossing the line, not even to lean the camera over the line…not even a little! We put all of our gear on and headed out. All you could hear was muffled noise. All of my senses were hyper aware, but mostly I was focused straight ahead, playing a serious game of follow the leader. And then we stopped. And words can’t express the feeling of the earth shaking beneath me, the loud vibration and rumble, the shear force of wind as fighters began to take off and land within mere feet of where I was standing.
As I crouched down to get the shot of the planes catching on the hooks, the wires would snap back toward me like a giant rubber band. The force and speed at which the planes landed was incredible! I just stood perfectly still in my little area, unable to move other than my finger on the shutter or a thumbs up to one of my fellow visitors. This will surely be one of the most thrilling experiences I will ever have. Just for reference, keep in mind when viewing these photos that I am NOT using a zoom camera. In other words, YES I WAS THAT CLOSE!
We left the carrier with the same heart pounding excitement with which we came. Catapulted off of the ship, going full throttle from 0 to 165 mph in under 2 seconds. What a great end to an unbelievably incredible day. Catching a glimpse of the sunset through the plane window, I was imagining the sailors as they would soon arrive home. There truly is nothing that comes close, no matter how exciting or thrilling, to the feelings of being home. Welcome Home to the U.S.S Ronald Reagan and it’s fantastic crew, my sincerest appreciation and gratitude for all that you do!
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