Kroschel, Edwin, IT1

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is a key element of our country's forward-deployed defense strategy. Tasked with maintaining open sea lanes of trade and communications, TR is capable of projecting air superiority to all points of the globe.

The embarked Carrier Air Wing aircraft serve as outstanding instruments of peace. Anytime and anywhere TR reports for duty, she brings 4.5 acres of sovereign U.S. territory and 97,000 tons of diplomacy.

TR's equipment and crew are always maintained at the highest state of readiness. This enables the ship to carry out a wide variety of missions, including: air warfare, strike warfare, surface warfare, undersea warfare and electronic warfare. TR also shares the task of replenishing ships at sea and performing a variety of non-combat missions, such as rescues at sea of people in distress and the transport of refugees and others in need of help.

People make TR more than a mere mass of steel, cables and pipes. She is a floating city of 5,500 professional Sailors from every state in the Union. It is the veteran Sailor with gold on his dress blues and the young 17-year old, away from home for the first time, who provide TR with heart and soul.