Chief of Naval Personnel (CNP), Vice Adm. Bill Moran, and Fleet Master Chief April Beldo, held two all-hands calls with Sailors aboard Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain, Aug. 10-11. Topics covered during the calls included issues such as pay and benefits, advancement, manning and force shaping.
Sailors from Malaysia, Ireland, Singapore, Oman and Kuwait spent a week onboard HMS Westminster testing their navigation skills at sea. After several weeks working in a simulator, the week at sea was the culmination of their training and the end of a three month course. The students also enjoyed e
On 11 August EU Naval Force ship HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën completed an escort of a World Food Program (WFP) vessel along the coast of Somalia. Escorting WFP vessels is one of the primary tasks of Operation Atalanta. The WFP chartered merchant vessel left the port of Berbera on Saturday, 9 August
More than 4,500 Sailors and Marines with the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR), Aug. 11, after departing San Diego July 25. Sailors and Marines from the Makin Island Amphibious
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) arrived in Constanta, Romania, for a scheduled port visit, Aug 11. Vella Gulf’s presence in Romania and the Black Sea reaffirms the United States’ commitment to strengthening ties with NATO allies and partners, while working towar
HMS Penzance has completed a seven week transit, arriving in her new base port of Bahrain, a journey which covered 6,850 nautical miles in the Monsoon season. She arrived in Bahrain and was met by Captain Philip Warwick, the Deputy United Kingdom Maritime Component Commander (UKMCC). After a 47 da
The new flagship of EU Naval Force ITS Andrea Doria conducted its first friendly approach in the Gulf of Aden. To help strengthen mutual understanding and trust between the EU Naval Force and local seafarers, as well as obtain first hand information about possible piracy incidents in the area, EU
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) conducted a division tactics exercise with the Turkish navy fast attack craft TCG Tuzla (P 1200) in the Black Sea, Aug. 8. Vella Gulf and Tuzla conducted tactical maneuvering during the exercise. U.S. Navy ships regularly hold sim
The amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) arrived in the 7th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR) after participating in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise, Aug. 9. Peleliu is expected to carry out various operations in support of the nation’s maritime strategy, providing presence in the 7th
Amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) has one of the largest medical departments in the fleet aside from the hospital ships USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) and USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), and has acquired some new faces with unique specialties to aid their mission overseas. Makin Island has added a ps
NATO’s Counter-Piracy Mission, Operation Ocean Shield, has bid farewell to the Italian destroyer ITS MIMBELLI. The ITS MIMBELLI left Task Force 508 on Wednesday, 6 August 2014, after a job very well done as part of Operation Ocean Shield. The continuous, main effort of Task Force 508 is keeping co
Lithuania is now in command of Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group ONE. German Navy Commander Gunther Brassel handed over command of SNMCMG1 to Lithuanian Navy Commander Giedrius Premeneckas during a brief ceremony on Thursday, 7 August, 2014. The ceremony was conducted by NATO Allied Mariti
Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, Adm. Mark Ferguson and senior leaders of the command welcomed Rear Adm. Geoffrey Mawuli Biekro, Chief of the Naval Staff for the Ghana Armed Forces, Aug. 5. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen bi-lateral ties between the two navies and discuss inc
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) has entered the Black Sea, Aug. 6, to promote peace and stability in the region. Vella Gulf’s mission is to improve interoperability and work toward mutual goals, demonstrating the United States’ commitment to strengthening the co