The USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier can be a stressful place to work.
The ship hosts F-18 fighter jets that launch daily air strikes against ISIS positions in Iraq and Syria from its location in the Mediterranean Sea.
Then there is the challenge of being stuck on a ship with 5,000 other people and very little personal space and away from their families for months at a time.
While the military relies on ready-to-battle soldiers, being on alert all the time can leave the body and mind over-stressed, lowering morale and affecting overall fighting preparedness.
One way Navy personnel unwind is through physical training, known as PT in military jargon.
Fitness instructor Justin Vigil says staying healthy helps deal with life aboard the carrier.
“For a lot of people it’s their way to get away from work, because we’re in the middle of the ocean, so that one or two hours of PT is one or two hours of not working,” he said.
“It definitely is very important for the moral and the sanity,” he said, adding that the physical requirements of their jobs also demand it.
The sailors work out in inside the ship’s hangar surrounded by the aircraft, a reminder of the nature of their work and why it’s important for the Navy personnel to keep fit, to be able to get around the ship quickly and do their jobs well.
Another way they relax is doing the kinds of things normal people do: reading books, watching TV, hanging out with friends.
Fighter jet pilots of the ship’s “Blacklions” Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 213 have a getaway room where they can play games, read magazines and watch TV.
The group grows close over months of living together, says Kevin Robb, the squadron’s commanding officer.
“Most of my officers that fly these airplanes are between about 22 and 32 and it’s amazing after month five they treat each other like brothers and sisters,” he says.
“Do they get on each others nerves sometimes? Yeah they do. But they also like to relax. We’ll have, play cards in the radio room here or games. We’ll watch movies together, we are kind of doing that as a family.”
Robb says they also try to eke out a bit of personal space.
“Whether that’s in their bunk at night and they can read, you know, or watch some movies from home of their families. I think that’s important, it helps you recharge and get ready for the next day.”
The USS George H.W. Bush also provides some creature comforts including restaurants, a supermarket and a Starbucks coffee shop.
