The Broadside – November 2026

I’m devoting the entirety of my message to a single topic.

 By now, many of you have heard Mike Getscher will be leaving us.  I’ve “only” known Mike since February 2013, when I joined the crew.  Mike’s departure marks the end of an executive team that was together for 13 years.  That kind of longevity is very unusual.  The example that always comes to my mind is the Los Angeles Dodgers infield of Garvey, Lopes, Russell, and Cey, who hold the Major League Baseball record for playing together: 8 seasons, from 1974 to 1981.

 Engineers, like Mike, and accountants, like me, are kindred spirits, two peas in a pod, (insert your own analogy here).  Mike has devoted untold time, energy, experience, and expertise to the ship, which doesn’t always get recognized, but has helped keep the organization afloat, literally, and figuratively.  We all owe him a big “thank you”.  Good luck, Mike!

 Many Thanks,

Ross

From the desk of the Chief Engineer

BOO!

 Thought I’d make light of the unintended combination of Halloween and what is assuredly my last missive as Chief Engineer. Combining the two seems somehow comical to me, and making light of it seems appropriate. But we also have actual work to do, so let’s add some value while we can.

On the Pavilion level, the “slope stability” solution continues to move forward. In a Monday virtual meeting with the Building & Safety Department, the consulting engineers were asked to move forward on a reanalysis of the slope and allowed the use existing structures within that analysis which had previously been denied.  This bodes well for a solution, and the PBC team is anxiously awaiting the results of that work. Other relatively small items such as grading and the relocation of a fire hydrant will have to wait until the stability solution is finalized. (Late note, this is resolved.)

In the coming weeks, I’ll help just a little with the project, essentially contributing to a few efforts that I’ve not completed such as the specification of a new switchgear breaker and some minor work on a revised lighting package. And, over time, I can make myself available for specific questions and challenges. But overall, the Pavilion Team is in good hands. Between Jonathan, Larry Olson, Mark Stanson, and Jay Wischmann, there is at least 100 years of construction and development experience, and the team will likely expand slightly as work progresses. It will be a tough job, but the team will be successful.

For the Engineering Team, they continue to make progress on the recoating of the fantail, and they are also about to be ready to relocate the cofferdam again on the port side. Chief Moser also jumped through significant hoops more than a week ago to build the new donor wall down in the museum area in time for the Freedom of the Seas Gala. I, for one, am deeply appreciative of the last-minute effort.

Looking at some weeks in advance, funding has been secured for new security gates at the top of each gangway which will be delivered by the manufacturer and installed by our team. And looking even further into the future, once funding is identified, the revised mooring plan and CHT tank recoating projects will become high priorities. Paint, weld, repair, and repeat. It is a never-ending effort on the part of a great team.

This week, we’d like to provide a shoutout to the Training and Special Projects team for multiple efforts to include 3-days of Los Angeles County Fire Department training effort, and the annual Fire Extinguisher maintenance effort. The latter involves the recovery, testing, and relocation of nearly 300 extinguishers. This team does extraordinary work which is not often visible.

In practical matters, it is my understanding that the Training & Special Projects Team, and the Security Department, will report to David Canfield. The Engineering and Curatorial Teams will report to Jonathan.

 

Now for the emotional part…

Today is likely my last regular day of work aboard the battleship, a fact which is frankly hard to get my head around. The ship has dominated my schedule, indeed my life, since September of 2011. It has been all-absorbing, highly engaging, and at times outright demanding. Shifting gears will take me some time. But to be clear, I am not retiring. I’m rearranging my life to focus on family, HNSA, and regain some personal time in the process. There is no need for parties, speeches or cake. For the record, I’m not much for parties or speeches, but I do like cake.

As shared previously, I will be burning vacation time through November, and partially into December. I will be on and off the property throughout that time as I move 15 years of personal effects to a new location. I’ll also begin a light presence in the new HNSA office, which will be in the Supply Office down on 2^nd Deck. I will retain my battleship email and will not be completely absent.

I have always been deeply grateful for my entire experience aboard IOWA, but I have been even more grateful for the people. The relationships formed here have changed my life in an extraordinary way, something I will take with me, and fully intend to continue.

Many of you have sent me very personal notes during the last few weeks, all of which have been deeply appreciated. I believe I have responded to all of them as best I could. Some have mentioned the term legacy, which I’m sure means different things to different people.

I believe that saving the IOWA, the formation of an extraordinary crew, and having had an enduring impact on the community in which we live mean the most to me. The ship is saved, the lives of my friends have been enriched…indeed in many cases extended, and a community has received a much-needed shot in the arm. That is legacy enough for all of us.

I have been blessed to be a part of something special.

 

I’ll be around.

Mike

Moser and the engineering department can't stop till they get enough... and maybe not even then:

- Will the barge stay on the pier, or will it finally touch water? Will it become part of the pavilion as we build around it? Stay tuned as we find out in the next few weeks.

- As it gets cooler, preservation work becomes more pleasurable. We will complete the flight deck work and finish off the year strong with hull preservation.

Comms will continue in its nominal YouTube schedule of podcast release 1st Thursday of the mont and APO (Authorized Personnel Only) the 3rd Wednesday. Carousels seem to be working well on Instagram, so we'll ride that wave with some varied content as long as it carries us.

Please keep taking photos and videos of action on deck and sending it our way. Email marketing

 

Calling artists and graphic designers!

We want YOU to create this year's holiday card! You've seen what we've sent in the past. Give us something fresh, fun, and from the heart. (No AI please!)

If your idea is selected, it will convey the organization's well wishes to our entire mailing list.

Show us what you've got. Email designs to the marketing team no later than Wednesday, Nov. 18 if you'd like to participate. (You can email us questions, too, if you like.)

A plea from COMMS

Have you been in our Google Drive lately? More to the point, have you tried to find a specific photo? The comms team can attest that a graphic that could take five minutes to create often stretches to half an hour simply because finding a desired photo can be next to impossible. The number of photos and videos with no names or descriptions is a big mind boggling.

And let's talk about the number of folders in there that contain different content, but sport the exact same name.

The question is: who's going to be our hero and help us rename photos and folders so that we can actually find what we need without wandering through the warehouse trying to find everything over next to the Ark of the Covenant?

Email marketing and we can talk about how to start eating this proverbial elephant. Many, many thanks!