A Soldier Goes Working for the Navy

From Millington to the Mississippi Gulf Coast

When I retired from the Army Reserve in 2011 and wrapped up my civilian time with the Army Corps of Engineers, I never imagined my next chapter would involve Navy ships — especially since I couldn’t swim and didn’t know port from starboard. But life has a way of steering you into unexpected waters.

That’s how I found myself in Pascagoula, Mississippi, working as a public affairs specialist for SUPSHIP Gulf Coast (SSGC) — the Navy’s on‑site authority for ship construction across the region.

What SUPSHIP Gulf Coast Does

SUPSHIP Gulf Coast is a 600‑person command made up of active‑duty Navy officers and enlisted sailors, Navy civilians, DoD civilians, engineers, quality assurance specialists, contracting officers, logisticians, and public affairs staff. Together, we oversaw cost, schedule, quality, and contract compliance for ships built at:

• Ingalls Shipbuilding (Pascagoula, MS)

• Austal USA (Mobile, AL)

• VT Halter Marine (Pascagoula, MS)

• Textron Systems (Slidell, LA)

If it floated — or hovered — and came from the Gulf Coast, SUPSHIP had a hand in it.

Ingalls Shipbuilding — A Giant on the Pascagoula River

Ingalls is enormous: 160 acres on the east bank, 611 acres on the west bank, and more than 250 ships built since 1938. Destroyers, amphibs, cutters — steel everywhere, cranes towering overhead, and the constant hum of welding, grinding, and construction.

I learned the Navy world the hard way: climbing ladders, crawling through compartments, and touring ships from bilge to bridge. It was a crash course in naval architecture and shipyard culture.

Shipbuilding 101 — From Keel to Commissioning

Working at SUPSHIP meant seeing the entire life cycle of a ship:

• Keel laying — the sponsor welds her initials into a steel plate

• Christening — champagne bottle, blessing, color guard, band

• Casket presentation — fragments of the broken bottle preserved in a wooden box

• Launch — either flooding the dry dock or sliding down a slipway

• Sea trials — builder’s trials, acceptance trials

• Delivery — the Navy formally accepts the ship

• Commissioning — the crew “brings the ship to life”

It’s a process that takes years, and every milestone has its own traditions.

Notable Moments and People

USS America (LHA 6) — The Crew Marches Aboard

The crew of USS America (LHA 6) march to their ship.

USS America Sail‑Away — A Memory That Stays With You

Sailors line the deck of USS America (LHA 6) as she left Pascagoula.

Seeing America sail away with sailors manning the rails in their dress whites was one of the most powerful moments of my time on the Gulf Coast.

Color Guard and Band — Ceremony and Fanfare

The color guard steps off smartly during the ceremony aboard USS America (LHA 6).

The color guard and Navy band transformed a noisy shipyard into a ceremonial stage.

A Job That Became a Calling

Working for SUPSHIP Gulf Coast wasn’t just a job — it was a front‑row seat to American shipbuilding, naval tradition, and the pride of thousands of shipbuilders and sailors. I attended 24 christenings, toured dozens of ships, and witnessed moments that will stay with me forever.