Editing USS John C. Stennis (section)

===2004===
From 24 May to 1 November 2004, ''John C. Stennis'' conducted her fourth major overseas deployment, participating in Exercise Northern Edge 2004 in the Gulf of Alaska, Rim of the Pacific (RimPac) Exercise off Hawaii, exercises with ''Kitty Hawk'' off Japan and goodwill visits to Japan, Malaysia and Western Australia.  Shortly after returning from deployment to San Diego, ''JCS'' changed her home port to [[Naval Station Bremerton]], Washington, on 19 January 2005.  Once at Bremerton, ''John C. Stennis'' underwent an 11-month docking planned incremental availability (DPIA), the first time she had been dry-docked since commissioning. Upgrades included a new mast. The new mast's structure is the first of its kind. A new type of steel alloy was used, making it stiffer and thicker than before. The new mast is also heavier and taller, allowing it to support new antennae the old mast would not have been able to support. Other upgrades included the installation of a new integrated bridge system in the pilothouse that will save manpower and provide state-of-the-art displays.<ref>{{cite web |first=Chris |last=Gethings |title=Kitsap County Welcomes ''Stennis'' |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=16833 |id=NNS050129-02 |publisher=US Navy |date=29 January 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629060110/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=16833 |archive-date=29 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Nick |last=Flabi |title=''Stennis'' Enters Dry Dock |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=16703 |id=NNS050121-11 |publisher=US Navy |date=21 January 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629060212/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=16703 |archive-date=29 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Gabriel |last=Owens |title=''Stennis'' Raises New Mast with Tradition |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=18144 |id=NNS050504-03 |publisher=US Navy |date=4 May 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722214239/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=18144 |archive-date=22 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Krishna |last=Jackson |title=''Stennis'' Back in the Water |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=19885 |id=NNS050906-06 |publisher=US Navy |date=6 September 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722214245/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=19885 |archive-date=22 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Following the maintenance cycle and pre-deployment training exercises, the carrier returned to Bremerton, Washington, and the carrier was certified surge ready, meaning the ship maintained a high state of readiness in case of an unscheduled deployment.<ref>{{cite web |first=Christopher |last=Gethings |title=''Stennis'' Returns Home Surge Ready |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=24737 |id=NNS060723-02 |publisher=USS John C. Stennis Public Affairs |date=23 July 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913104828/https://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=24737 |archive-date=13 September 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>