When we visited the USS Barry, the ship and its crew were feverishly preparing for a huge inspection, and an upcoming overseas deployment.
Short-staffed and overworked, the crew pulled the 20-year-old ship together beautifully — but the work it entailed was mindblowing.
When the Barry sailed for its European deployment earlier this month it was amid rumors it might not go at all, and if not for her crew, that may have been the case.
As well as they did, unfortunately the crew's workload has just increased dramatically. This is a tough time to be a U.S. Navy sailor.
The following slides show why.
When I rode out to the USS Barry, everyone was getting ready for a big inspection.
The annual five-year inspection is called INSURV — Inspection/ Survey — and as the Navy's fleet ages the inspections become more vital and more time-consuming.
Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers were expected to serve 20 years. The Barry is 20 now — and keeping her shipshape is no small effort.
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