NORFOLK, Va. — Thirty-four military and civilian personnel from Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Business Systems Center (BSC) in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, traveled to the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area of operation to participate in NAVSUP BSC’s Meet the Fleet event, April 22-25.

The four-day event served as an opportunity for a firsthand look at fleet operations across multiple warfare communities, allowed personnel to interact directly with Sailors, and developed a better understanding of how NAVSUP BSC supported systems impact readiness, modernization, and lethality across the fleet.

“Between active duty and civilian service, I have 22 years with the Army,” said Matthew Picking, a new employee and information technology (IT) specialist at NAVSUP BSC. “Before this trip, the only interactions I had with the Navy were Seabees in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have only been on the Navy team for about six months now and this trip opened my eyes. I had no idea how much goes on behind the scenes to get these ships and crews ready to serve their mission to the nation. This trip made me realize the importance of the NAVSUP mission and Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg.”

During the trip, NAVSUP BSC personnel familiarized themselves with fleet operations from the submarine, surface, aviation, and expeditionary warfare communities during visits to USS Helena (SSN 725), Submarine Learning Facility Norfolk, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron TWO, Commander, Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic, USS Normandy (CG 60), Assault Craft Unit TWO, Assault Craft Unit FOUR, NAVSUP BSC Regional Support Site Norfolk, NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, and Navy Exchange Service Command’s Navy Exchange Norfolk complex.

“Being able to see and explore multiple ships, assets, and facilities that make up the fleet gave me a much better understanding of the personnel and mission that we are supporting here at NAVSUP BSC,” said Kathleen Gallagher, IT specialist, NAVSUP BSC. “The most meaningful part of the trip to me was being able to experience what it’s like to be on a large U.S. Navy base for the first time that has so many active-duty Sailors and actively deploying ships. Besides NAVSUP BSC in Mechanicsburg, I have never been on another U.S. Navy base before. It was striking to walk through the parking lot on base and look over my shoulder to see unimaginably massive ships that line the coast. It put into perspective how important our job really is to be helping to keep these ships and Sailors running, even from our small base in Mechanicsburg hundreds of miles away.”

The event was an invaluable experience for personnel that also provided real connections with Sailors and those using NAVSUP BSC-supported systems.

“You get to actually see the customers that you deal with on a daily basis. It is easy to sit behind a computer and do your job, but to actually get to see the other side of your efforts makes the work that you are doing even more important. You can start putting faces to those people you are working to support,” said Stephen Jahn, project manager, NAVSUP BSC.

“I have been the project manager for Food Service Management and Retail Operations Management [applications] for about 18 months. Having now seen a ship’s galley, both big on the carrier and small on the submarine, as well as the ship’s store opened my eyes as to what myself and my team are supporting on a daily basis and how important it is that our system be up and running so they can order what they need to continue their mission,” said Jahn.

“I had several supply officers and a food service officer approach me while I was touring the ship. Not only did they complement us on the applications to help them do their job, but they also asked about other ships that were having issues impacting their fellow Sailors in getting what they needed. It was good to have a conversation and let them know there is someone on the other end of the application they can reach out to,” he said.

NAVSUP BSC provides the Navy with information systems support through the design, development, and maintenance of systems in logistics, supply chain management, transportation, finance, and accounting and is one of 11 commands under Commander, NAVSUP. Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, and employing a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel, NAVSUP’s mission is to provide supplies, services, and quality-of-life support to the Navy and joint warfighter.

For more information about NAVSUP BSC visit, https://www.navsup.navy.mil/NAVSUP-Enterprise/NAVSUP-Business-Systems-Center/.