Submariner, Commander Tony “Gecko” Ellis, has found new friends in far away places, during a visit to the Indian Defence Services Staff College at Wellington in Tamil Nadu, India. Commander Ellis is a student at the Australian Command and Staff College (ACSC) in Canberra. He, and a small delegation
Amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver (LPD 9), with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), arrived in Darwin, Australia, Aug. 22, following scheduled operations in the region. Denver’s visit to Darwin comes after a successful certification exercise (CERTEX) with the 31st MEU in the C
Commander, Task Force 63/Military Sealift Command Europe and Africa (CTF-63/MSCEURAF), held a change of command ceremony at Naval Support Activity Naples Aug. 21. Capt. John Rinko relieved Capt. Richard Soucie as commander. The guest speaker, Vice Adm. Frank C. Pandolfe, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, a
Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 4 held a change of command ceremony aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) Aug. 13. Capt. James P. Cody relieved Capt. John B. Skillman as commander of PHIBRON 4 while the ship was underway in the Gulf of Aden. Cody previously served as the PHIBRON 4 d
USS Freedom’s (LCS 1) LCS Crew 101 completed its first underway period since the mid-deployment crew swap, Aug. 19. The two-week workup gave crew members an opportunity to integrate and conduct operational checks in communications, weapons and damage control. Crew 101 also conducted focused training
Dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) departed Cairns, Australia after a routine port visit Aug. 15 to 19. Roughly 30 Sailors and Marines volunteered at a local hospital during the visit, playing games with patients, sharing jokes, and generally uplifting the spirits of more than 100 patients. “
A Royal Navy warship and RAF Typhoons have put their skills and technology to the test during a joint exercise. The aircraft joined HMS Dragon and US fighter jets in a training exercise to detect, classify and monitor contacts on the sea’s surface in the challenging conditions of the Gulf. The Type
The U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) hosted Japanese guests while at sea, Aug. 20. The distinguished visitors were given a general orientation of an underway U.S. Navy aircraft carrier to better understand George Washington’s strategic mission in the U.S.
Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious has held a Replenishment-At-Sea (RAS) with a French tanker as she continues her passage through the Mediterranean. The Portsmouth-based ship had to travel in close proximity – around 50 metres – to the FS Somme to allow fuel lines to pass from the tanker
Able Seaman Electronics Technician Peteris Kains had never dreamt that he would one day deploy to the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) as part of the international campaign against terrorism, let alone in a ship named after his home state’s capital city. That’s exactly what AB Kains will do thi
Naval History and Heritage Command’s (NHHC) Underwater Archeology Branch (UAB) dove into the history of a recently-discovered late-19th century No. 24 Howell Torpedo, Aug. 9, and they scored a direct hit. “We started looking through SECNAV (Secretary of the Navy) reports and narrowed it down to eigh
On Sunday 18 August, fourteen participants along with several EUCAP Nestor trainers boarded the Dutch EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Flagship HNLMS Johan de Witt in Djibouti, to embark for a one week’s training course on Maritime Security. This course, the second to be organised by EUCAP Nestor, brings t
As an alumnus of the Australian Defence College, it was with great pride that the Executive Officer of USS Preble, Commander (CDR) Jeff Heames, welcomed 45 students and staff members of the Australian Defence College onboard the American guided-missile destroyer for a tour, while the ship was alongs
The guided missile destroyer USS Stout (DDG 55) deployed from its homeport of Norfolk on Sunday, Aug. 18. After a whirlwind year that included a successful shipyard maintenance availability and intensive certification and training period, Stout, led by Cmdr. Bob Alpigini, departed on a deployment to
