The Seattle “Sea Gals,” official cheerleaders for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, performed for Sailors and Marines deployed aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) Feb. 13 as the ship conducted operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. The event, sponsored by Armed Fo
The “Kestrels” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 137 received the 2011 Strike Fighter Wing Pacific (CSFWP) Scott Kirby Award for Ordnance Excellence, Feb. 6. The award recognizes proficiency, professionalism and safety in ordnance handling and delivery. The Kestrels’ Aviation Ordnance (AO) division w
The flagship of Africa Partnership Station (APS) West 2012, USS Simpson (FFG 56), along with embarked staff, arrived in Tema, Ghana, Feb. 18 to begin their involvement with the APS 2012 Ghanaian hub. The hub, taking place after a recent port visit to Nigeria, brings training designed to strengthen A
Commander, Submarine Force U.S. Pacific Fleet announced Sea and Shore Sailors of the Year (SOY), Feb. 17, following a week of events where 10 SOY candidates, representing various commands from the Pacific submarine community, competed for the title. Rear Adm. Frank Caldwell awarded the 2011 Sea Sail
Two Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) engineers returned from deployment on two different large-deck surface platforms in support of the U.S. Navy’s at sea, live and synthetic exercise Bold Alligator 2012 that ended Feb. 12. Luis Ramirez-Lugo embarked USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7)
USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN 72) Diversity Council hosted a ceremony for the crew in the ship’s hangar bay, Feb. 17, in celebration of African-American History Month. Lincoln Sailors performed songs by African-American artists and viewed various displays and presentations acknowledging the achievement
The commanding officer of Pre-Commissioning Unit Mississippi (SSN 782) is visiting the submarine’s namesake state Feb. 19-21 in preparation for the upcoming commissioning this summer. “It’s great to have another opportunity to visit the state of Mississippi and the Ole Miss NROTC unit. We continue t
The vice chief of naval operations (VCNO) concluded a three-day engagement visit to Canberra and Darwin, Australia, Feb. 21. Adm. Mark Ferguson met with Chief of the Australian Navy Vice Adm. Ray Griggs and U.S. Ambassador Hon. Jeffrey L. Bleich, toured naval facilities, and delivered remarks to stu
The Los Angeles fast-attack submarine USS Montpelier (SSN 765) returned to Naval Station Norfolk from a regularly scheduled deployment Feb. 17. Under the command of Cmdr. Thomas A. Winter, Montpelier is returning from the European Command area of responsibility where it executed the nation’s maritim
A time-honored change of command ceremony was held for the Los Angeles-class submarine USS Houston (SSN 713) aboard the former U.S. Navy Iowa-class battleship USS Missouri (BB 63) at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Feb.17. Cmdr. David Schappert, commanding officer of Houston, was relieved by Cmdr. P
Los Angeles-Class Submarine, USS Montpelier, is going to return home to Virginia on Friday, following a six month deployment in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, Navy said. USS Montpelier visited ports of Norway, Scotland and Spain and she covered more than 36,000 nautical miles during her c
Navy’s contract for job search and assistance to help Sailors separating by the Enlisted Retention Board (ERB) is well underway, an official said Feb. 17. “Navy has contracted Challenger, Gray and Christmas, Inc. (CGC), an outplacement service company, to personally coach and assist ERB separating S
Amphibious dock-landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) conducted, for the first time aboard, testing of Scan Eagle, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), used in coordination with both Gunston Hall and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Feb. 1-14. Scan Eagle is an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) asse
Service members from the Kingdom of Thailand, Republic of Korea, Singapore and U.S. based at Utapao Naval Air Base, successfully completed the Command Post Exercise (CPX) portion of Exercise Cobra Gold 2012 here Feb. 16. CPX is based on possible scenarios described under the Global Peace Operations
