A member of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) conducted an overnight embark aboard the Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) Aug. 28-29.
Swedish navy Rear Adm. Anders Grenstad, hosted by Rear Adm. J.R. Haley, commander, Task Force 70 , visited George Washington for a firsthand view of daily operations aboard an underway aircraft carrier.
“We always want to share with our partner navies and their senior officers our capabilities and how we conduct business, ” said Haley. “We are fortunate to host the senior member of the NNSC, not only for him to see our part of the Korean peninsula vis-a-vis his role in the NNSC, but also because the experience of visiting George Washington is an event that he’ll be able to take back with him.”
Grenstad visited several areas of the ship during his stay aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier; he observed the launch and recovery of aircraft from the flight deck, stood with the ship’s landing signal officers as they assisted aircraft during landings, learned about the ship’s combat direction and air operations centers, and visited the ship’s weapons magazines.
“George Washington’s deployments are part of a deterrent, so for us to come out here to see what the ship is doing is significant, ” said Grenstad. “ We are observing George Washington in action and that is part of our task working with the NNSC.”
The NNSC was established by the Korean Armistice Agreement signed July 27, 1953, as an organization created by the United Nations Command to monitor and regulate the relations between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea. The four nations initially involved with the NNSC during its inception were Czechoslovakia, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland; nations whose combat forces did not participate in the hostilities in Korea. Today, the NNSC still hosts representatives from Poland, Sweden and Switzerland.
“This is my third visit aboard George Washington, but this is my first time underway,” said Grenstad. “Standing on the flight deck during flight operations and feeling the wind and vibration of the deck was beyond words. I’m still amazed at the size of the ship and the technology aboard, but the crew is what impressed me the most. Whether they were working on the flight deck or in the galley, I enjoyed the professionalism and the friendliness of the Sailors.”
George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing 5 provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interests of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific region.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, August 29, 2012; Image: Navy