PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Sailors and Military Sealift Command mariners assigned to submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) increased underway readiness by simulating emergency drills and running flight operations, May 17.

The crew practiced working as an integrated team to simulate a man overboard recovery and a helo crash drill during flight operations.

"When you have two different cultures coming together on one platform, how well you integrate will determine how well the ship is prepared to combat a casualty," said Cmdr. Ed Callahan, Frank Cable's executive officer.

Search and rescue swimmers ran a full evolution for a man overboard rescue. SAR swimmers entered the water and swam out to attach a litter to a J-divot line, which was heaved up by a line crew comprised of Sailors and civilian mariners. After the litter was successfully recovered, MSC's search and rescue swimmer further tested the line-crew by attaching himself. The crew successfully heaved-in and recovered him.

"Drilling and training with Sailors is important because we can take the good from both commands and use it to our advantage," said Tuaina Togotogo, a native of Pago Pago, American Samoa, and member of the MSC flying squad. "This helps us find our battle rhythm and how we work as a team."

Flight quarters was set in the afternoon, where Frank Cable's flying squad dressed out on the flight deck, tested communications with the bridge and simulated damage control for extracting personnel from a downed helicopter.

"Frank Cable Sailors and Military Sealift Command mariners demonstrated 'One Ship, One Crew' success during our helo crash drill as they combated the casualty as a team," said Callahan. "The drill was a huge success in helping us realize our strengths and weaknesses that we will now address on the next training session."

Frank Cable, forward deployed to the island of Guam, conducts maintenance and support of submarines and surface vessels in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility. For more information on Frank Cable, visit our website http://www.csp.navy.mil/frankcable or like us on Facebook at USS Frank Cable (AS 40).