It said the first fire engine will remain full-time, with on-call firefighters crewing the second engine.

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The crewing requirements are surprisingly modest: 40 personnel to operate the ship and an additional 35 or so to operate modular mission systems.

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Mid and West Wales Fire Authority says there is no reduction in the number of firefighters at the station, and just a change in crewing arrangements.

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The rivalry between Standbridge and Smith on this leg has been intensified by the fact that they are good friends, with Standbridge crewing for Smith on Intrum Justitia in the 1993-94 race.

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"He handed me the check and said, 'I want my boat now, ' and we couldn't do it, " says Carroll, a former U.S. Naval Academy midshipman who grew up crewing for wealthy yacht owners in nearby Newport.

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Our judges this year concurred with the view of Filipino crewing suppliers Magsaysay who nominated their crew aboard but also wanted to acknowledge the bravery of others, that the actions of the professional and honourable seafarers that night should be publically recognized.

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The argument could also be made that delaying construction of the new Ford class of carriers might actually increase the long-term cost of carriers, since the next-generation carrier is designed to reduce crewing requirements by hundreds of personnel, and manpower expenses are the biggest driver of life-cycle costs for aircraft carriers.

FORBES: Despite Budget Woes, The Navy Is Unlikely To Cut Carriers