The guided-missile frigate USS Carr (FFG 52) concluded a three-month deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet, Sept. 19, returning to her homeport of Norfolk, Va.
During the deployment, Carr visited several countries, including Norway, Poland, Russia and Scotland.
During their visit to Edinburgh, Carr Sailors participated in several cultural heritage events including the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Festival Fringe, International Festival and the International Book Festival. Additionally, a reception was held aboard Carr, including a tour of the ship for members of both the military and the community.
“ The architecture and history of Edinburgh were awe-inspiring ,” said Chief Information Systems Technician Joseph Wert . “The Edinburgh Military Tattoo was a moving experience. I have been to tattoos in the United States, but nothing comes close to comparing with the splendor of the event held on the Edinburgh Castle grounds.”
Carr then transited north to the Arctic Circle, which was also a first for many of the crew members.
“ I’d never been to the Arctic Circle before this deployment, ” said Lt. j.g. Mitch Harris , Carr’s training officer. “It was exciting to meet some of the local residents and see what their culture was like.” The port visit in Tromso, Norway, also provided Carr’s crew members with the opportunity to meet with members of the Norwegian army, who came aboard for a tour of the ship and then demonstrated for the crew various cease-and-desist and bomb-detecting techniques with their military working dog unit.
“It was an exciting experience to come aboard a U.S. Navy vessel,” said Norwegian army Lt. Anita Gunn-Fossli , a member of the Norwegian army’s military working dog platoon. “It’s always interesting to see how militaries from different countries compare with our own. Visits like this enable us to see this firsthand, because we don’t get opportunities like this very often.”
The Russian port visits included six-days in St. Petersburg, as well as visits to Baltiysk and Murmansk.
“Most Americans will not have the opportunity to visit Russia in their lifetime and my Sailors have been fortunate enough to have visited three distinct areas of Russia” said Cmdr. Patrick Kulakowski , Carr’s commanding officer. “Almost all of my Sailors told me that they joined the Navy to see the world; I believe it is essential to travel and meet people to build a true understanding of different cultures.”
During their visit, many of Carr’s crew donated their time to various community service projects in each city. They also took time to explore Russian culture with visits to local museums and neighboring maritime vessels.
“I was very impressed by the Russian sailors and their naval ships,” said Yeoman Seaman Timothy Crowell . “I think that the more we interact with one another, the more we realize how similar we are.”
Carr’s return home marks the completion of a three-month deployment conducting theater security cooperation and maritime security operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.
[mappress] Source: navy, September 20, 2011;