DVIDS – News – COMSUBPAC Conducts FMAA aboard USS Emory S. Land

SUBIC BAY, Philippines (NNS) – The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) participated in a Fleet Maintenance Activity Assessment, (FMAA) conducted by Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) Nov. 19-21, 2019.

FMAA is conducted annually by COMSUBPAC aboard submarine tenders to ensure tended units are provided with first-time quality maintenance. Inspectors examine the entire repair department onboard checking all the planning, procedures and paperwork associated with repair jobs conducted since the previous inspection.

“They look for deficiencies in all of our programs,” said Hull Technician 1st Class Joshua R. Taylor, a Sailor assigned to Land’s quality assurance division. “They review all controlled work we’ve accomplished to ensure that we’ve used the correct materials and conducted the correct tests. As the Controlled Materials Petty Officer, my program is evaluated by an inspector to ensure the material is properly tracked and documented.”

The inspection can be broken down into two main parts: maintenance and material management, (3M) and quality assurance, (QA). The 3M portion evaluates the repair department’s day-to-day operations, material conditions and training to ensure repair personnel have the proper materials and are adequately qualified to complete maintenance tasks.

“It’s their job to make sure that we’re at one-hundred percent readiness, or as close to it as possible,” said Lt. j.g. Christopher A. Lambach, R-2 divisional officer and FMAA coordinator. “They ensure anything that could reduce capabilities is being assessed, out of commission equipment is getting replaced, necessary funding is available and the right jobs are being placed. Inspectors also confirm our training program is up-to-snuff and we’re giving our Sailors all the tools they need to get their qualifications.”

On the other hand, the QA part of the assessment examines the routing, paperwork procedures associated with maintenance and ensuring quality assurance forms are filled out properly and follow up-to-date instructions and guidance.

“The Quality Assurance portion is really a huge part of FMAA, because having that objective quality evidence and all the paperwork associated with high-level maintenance items, we’re being evaluated on our ability to conduct maintenance safely and deliver first-time quality”, said Lambach.

Land’s FMAA inspection was slated to conclude Nov. 22, but finished a day early due to the repair department’s hard work and performance during the assessment.

“Material wise we had some evolutions we really knocked out of the park,” said Lambach. “We didn’t have any major material deficiencies that needed immediate corrective actions. Everything was satisfactory and improving, that’s what the final grade was. Quality assurance is very specific. There are lots of requirements. A lot of first-time controlled work packages were made so they’re going to find deficiencies there. There was nothing major though, just some minor discrepancies that need corrective action and we’re definitely going to make them better down the road”.

Submarines play an important role in 7th Fleet’s area of operations. Land’s mission is repairing, rearming and resupplying those submarines overseas. This year’s FMAA proves that even though Land has been in service for over 40 years, it’s still ready and able to provide maintenance to the fleet.

Guam is home to the U.S. Navy’s only submarine tenders, USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) and USS Frank Cable (AS 40), as well as four Los Angeles-class attack submarines. The submarine tenders provide maintenance, hotel services and logistical support to submarines and surface ships in the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation. The submarines and tenders are maintained as part of the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed submarine force and are capable of meeting global operational requirements.

For more information about USS Emory S. Land (AS 39), visit us at http://www.csp.navy.mil/emorysland/ or like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EmorySLand, or on Twitter @EmorySLand.

For more news from USS Emory S. Land (AS 39), visit http://www.navy.mil/local/as39/.

Are you interested in taking orders to Guam? Want to learn more about the duty station and life on our island? For more information, check out the ‘Go Guam!’ website at http://www.csp.navy.mil/go-guam/ and download the ‘1st Fifteen’ checklist.