Newport News Ship and Crew Honored for Role in Haiti

In a waterside ceremony in Newport News, Maritime Administrator Captain William G. Schubert presented the Professional Ship Award to the officers and crew of the "SS Flickertail State." The crew was honored for its part in Operation Haiti, working under fire delivering supplies and equipment to the U.S. Marine Corps.

The Professional Ship Award is given to non-military ships that achieve the highest degree of readiness, performance, efficiency, reliability, productivity, and safety. The "Flickertail State" is part of the Ready Reserve Force, a fleet of ships owned by the Maritime Administration and crewed by civilian merchant mariners. Ships of the Ready Reserve Force are supporting the U.S. Armed Forces in the Middle East, as well as serving in humanitarian missions and in other military-support roles throughout the world.

Captain Schubert praised the officers and crew, saying, "The crew of the "Flickertail State" is an outstanding example of the integral role the Ready Reserve Force plays in our national defense operations. Our nation's Ready Reserve Force helps ensure our security by supporting the men and women of the U.S. armed forces."

The ceremony was attended by representatives from the U.S. Transportation Command and the Military Sealift Command, which have operational control of Ready Reserve Force ships when they support the military, and by representatives from two seafaring unions, the American Maritime Officers and the Seafarers International Union.