Sailors, Marines and DoD civilians aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) participated in a “crossing the line” ceremony aboard the ship Jan. 23. The ceremony is a time-honored tradition predating the U.S. Navy when a ship crossed the equator and tested new Sailors to determine
The “Pathfinders” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35, Det. 1, the Navy’s first composite expeditionary helicopter squadron, are currently deployed aboard the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) during her maiden 16-month rotational deployment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. HSM
The Virginia-class attack submarine USS California (SSN 781) returned to its homeport at U.S. Naval Submarine Base, New London, from its maiden deployment Jan. 24. Under the command of Cmdr. Shawn Huey, California is returning from the U.S. European Command area of responsibility where the crew exec
Sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) began moving tanks of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) on board the ship Jan. 14, achieving another key milestone in moving the ship out of refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH). AFFF is an extinguishing agent used fo
The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) conducted an ammo on-load Jan. 22-23 in preparation for its next deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility. Over the course of two days, Weapons Department Sailors craned on and stored more than 1,000 pallets of
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine agents and interagency partners disrupted two separate drug smuggling attempts off the coast of Costa Rica resulting in the interdiction of more than $74 million in illegal drugs. On Jan. 20, a Jacksonville-based OAM aircrew aboard a P-3 wa
On January 21, 2015, the Bipartisan Virginia delegation wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel expressing their continued support for the 11 aircraft carrier fleet in advance of the release of the President’s Fiscal Year 2016 budget proposal. The Virginia delegation, consisting of U.S. S
US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) breaks away from the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Robert E. Perry (T-AKE 5) after completing a replenishment-at-sea. The vessels engaged in RAS while in the Atlantic Ocean on January 2
The commanding officer of the dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) announced the 2014 Sailor of the Year (SOY), Junior Sailor of the Year (JSOY), and Bluejacket of the Year (BJOY) award recipients during the ship’s holiday party in San Diego, Dec. 12. Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Ronald Swift,
The guided missile frigate USS Rodney M Davis (FFG 60) concluded 28 years of naval service during a decommissioning ceremony on Jan. 23 at Naval Station Everett, Washington. USS Rodney M Davis was assigned to Destroyer Squadron Nine and was commanded by Cmdr. Todd Whalen. The ship returned in Decemb
Commander, Naval Air Forces (CNAF) held a change of command ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) at Naval Air Station North Island Jan. 22. During the ceremony, Vice Adm. Mike Shoemaker relieved Vice Adm. David H. Buss as CNAF. While serving as the Navy’s “Air Boss” sinc
A U.S. Navy scientist received the 2014 NATO Science and Technology Organization’s Scientific Achievement Award, the Navy announced Jan. 22. NATO Chief Scientist Major Gen. Albert Husniaux, conferred the award to Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) principal scientist Steve Ander
Sailors aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) handle the phone and distance line during a replenishment-at-sea with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Arctic (T-AOE-8). The RAS operation was conducted on January 19 in the A
Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9 welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony in the Grand Vista Ballroom on Naval Station Everett (NSE), Jan. 21. Capt. Christopher M. Engdahl, a native of South Bend, Indiana, relieved Capt. William M. Triplett, from Baltimore, of his duties as DESRON-9
