The future amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) departed in commission without ceremony from Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., July 11 in transit to its homeport of San Diego. America is scheduled to be formally commissioned during a ceremony in San Francisco, California Oct. 11, w
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was busy yesterday on his first visit to the Air Force base on the Florida panhandle, talking to pilots from the 33rd Fighter Wing, meeting with and thanking service members and briefing local and national reporters. The visit was one of three stops on a two-day trip
Five Sailors and one Airman were frocked at the MacArthur Landing Memorial Park in Tacloban, July 10. “This is a major step in leadership,” said Capt. Brian Shipman, commander Pacific Partnership 2014. “Being able to do this at the very place where Gen. MacArthur came ashore to fulfill his promise
A Chief of Navy (CN) Gold commendation has been awarded to Lieutenant Commander Tony Nelson for his meticulous planning of aviation activities during last year’s International Fleet Review. CN, Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, visited Fleet Headquarters to award the commendation and to praise the outstan
Amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) held a change of command ceremony on the flight deck July 2. Capt. Wayne R. Brown relieved Capt. John E. Gumbleton as commanding officer. Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific Fleet, Vice Adm. Tom Copeman, presided over the ceremony and presented Gumblet
US Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert spoke to sea service officers at the 42nd National Naval Officer Association (NNOA) Professional Development and Training Conference held in Quantico, Va., July 10. During Greenert’s remarks he highlighted how Sailors underwrite what the Na
On Thursday 10 July 2014 the EU Naval Force welcomed a new ship to its counter-piracy Task Force – the German Navy replenishment ship FGS Berlin. After a two-week transit from Northern Germany the ship, under command of Commander Marcel Rosenbohm, arrived in the operating areas off the coast of So
The executive officer of guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) was promoted to the rank of commander during a promotion ceremony held during a department head call in the wardroom, July 3. Cmdr. Randolph Chestang received his command ball cap with “scrambled eggs” from Capt. Wesley Smi
BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair, San Diego, California, is being awarded a $15,8 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-11-C-4408) for USS Decatur (DDG 73) fiscal 2014 Dry-Docking Selected Restricted Availability. A Dry-Docking Selected Restricted Availability includes the p
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf helped kick-off the at-sea phase of the Bulgarian-led maritime training exercise BREEZE in the Black Sea, July 9. The exercise includes naval units from Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Romania, Turkey and P-3 aircraft from Patrol Squadron 4. The
Austal hosted the keel-laying ceremony for the seventh vessel (Cape Wessel) of eight 56-metre patrol boats that Austal is designing, building and supporting for the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) on 4 July 2014. With this ceremony Austal once again demonstrated the rapid pr
UK Navy’s HMS Defender has been exercising her boarding team at a state-of-the-art facility during her maiden deployment. HMS Defender’s boarding team is a combination of Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines who are specially trained to conduct safe and secure boarding. During a week-long visit to
Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa commissioned SLNS Mihikatha and SLNS Rathnadeepa at the Port of Colombo on 9th July 2014. SLNS Mihikatha and SLNS Rathnadeepa, two patrol boats gifted by Australia, joined the SLN Fleet on 29th March and 3rd June 2014 respectively and were assigned the pennant
Four NATO warships, that entered the Black Sea earlier this month, are taking part in the multinational Exercise BREEZE 2014 to enhance NATO solidarity and readiness. The ships are from the Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group Two (SNMCMG2), one of the four NATO fleets that operate on a rotat
