YOKOSUKA, Japan (May 13, 2013) The U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) hosted four Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters May 13.

UFC fighters Anthony Njokuani, Todd Duffee, Matt Brown and Kurt Shrout toured the ship’s hangar bay, flight deck and navigation bridge learning about shipboard operations and the lifestyle of Sailors stationed aboard.

“The ship is amazing,” said Brown, from Columbus, Ohio. “The pictures and video you see on television do not do it justice and the Sailors are awesome. I relate to them because the Sailors are warriors and we are warriors too, so there’s a mutual respect.”

Sailors were also given the opportunity to receive autographs and meet with the fighters one-on-one.

“It’s a childhood moment for me,” said Culinary Specialist Seaman Jeffery Vaillant, from Bronx, N.Y. “I’m a huge fan of mixed martial arts and having the fighters come out and meet with us has been a great experience.”

Armed Forces Entertainment, in collaboration with Morale Welfare and Recreation, arrange visits from celebrities and athletes to provide opportunities for Sailors stationed overseas to meet with positive role models and boost morale.

“Servicemembers are a big part of our support base and it’s exciting to meet all of the fans that are involved in the sport,” said Duffee, from Raleigh, Ill. “We had the chance to meet with [George Washington Sailors] and they are doing a service for our country that isn’t always noticed. It’s a great opportunity for us to show our appreciation.”

The UFC fighters also met with Yokosuka-area Sailors in the evening at the Fleet Activities Yokosuka Fleet Recreation Center to share grappling moves, fighting techniques and their experiences in mixed martial arts.

George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, provide a combat-ready force that supports and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its partners and allies in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

ABOARD USS BLUE RIDGE – The U.S. Navy is conducting routine carrier operations in international waters east of the Korean Peninsula May 13-14.

Following their port visit in Busan, Republic of Korea, the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier strike group (NIMCSG) began routine operations today with the Republic of Korea Navy.

U.S. Navy ships scheduled to participate include the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) with the embarked Commander Carrier Strike Group 11 and carrier Air Wing 11; the guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG 59) and USS Chosin (CG 65); and guided missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88).

The operations are taking place beyond the territorial seas of any coastal nations and are intended to reinforce regional security and stability, enhance interoperability with our allies, and increase operational proficiency and readiness. The operations include integrated flight operations, air defense events, surface warfare training events, precision ship maneuvers, and liaison officer exchanges.

The U.S. Navy frequently operates in international waters around the world and has conducted numerous operations and exercises in this area. Most recently, the USS George Washington (CVN 73) CSG conducted similar operations in the waters west of the Korean Peninsula in June 2012. Similarly, and aside from Nimitz’s visit that concluded yesterday, U.S. aircraft carriers frequently visit the Korean Peninsula; most recently USS George Washington in June 2012.

The U.S. Navy is committed to helping enhance the security and stability of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, and our forward-presence activities and engagements in this region are routine. U.S. military operations and exercises are a part of a larger forward-presence posture to strengthen our alliances and partnerships, and established security cooperation activities. U.S. forward presence is in accordance with international law, preserves the rights, freedoms, and uses of the sea guaranteed to all nations, and contributes to economic development and international commerce.

For a list of participating Republic of Korea Navy assets, please contact the Republic of Korea Ministry of Defense.

For information regarding U.S. Navy participation, contact Cmdr. Ron Steiner at U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs, Comm: 808-653-2152, or by e-mail: pao@c7f.navy.mil.

BUSAN, Republic of Korea (May 11, 2013) – Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11, comprised of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) along with embarked Carrier Air Wing 11, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88) and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG 59) and USS Chosin (CG 65), arrived in Busan, Republic of Korea May 11.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the bond between the two nations, a bond Rear Adm. Michael White, commander, Carrier Strike Group 11, said has only strengthened with time.

“It is always a pleasure when we have the opportunity to meet with our allies in the Republic of Korea,” said White. “I’m looking forward to deepening the close friendship enjoyed by the Republic of Korea and the United States.”

Nimitz Sailors will have an opportunity to visit with the local community and businesses and take in a variety of sight-seeing activities while in Busan.

“It’s great to be able to meet our friends from the Republic of Korea,” Capt. Jeff Ruth, USS Nimitz commanding officer, said, adding, “This port visit will provide our Sailors and Marines the opportunity to experience this beautiful city.”

CSG 11 is currently deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts.

USS Blue Ridge Sailors experienced a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert served as reenlisting officer at a group ceremony during his visit to Yokosuka Naval Base, May 10.

The reenlistees included: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Melvin Orr, Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Leigh Striker, Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Jun Wu, Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Neika Burke, Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Brett Rushing, Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Luis Zabalsa and Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Robert Zobel.

Commander, 7th Fleet, Vice Adm. Scott H. Swift introduced Greenert, who began the ceremony by addressing issues concerning the Navy’s budget, and assuring 7th Fleet Sailors that they will indeed be getting the budgetary support they need to continue maintaining the world’s most powerful naval presence.

“You are the key to keeping the Asia-Pacific region secure,” said Greenert. “We need to be present where and when it matters.”

As CNO, he is focusing his efforts on improving the Navy’s warfighting capabilities, developing Sailors professionally and maintaining the force’s readiness in order to support its assigned missions.

“I have four top priorities at the moment, and those are sexual assault prevention, suicide prevention, manning at sea and operational tempo,” said Greenert.

The reenlistment ceremony is a way for Sailors to make a personal commitment in a public forum to serve their nation with honor, courage and commitment.

“It’s a great honor and opportunity to reenlist with the CNO. This is a rare opportunity that I’ll probably experience only once in my lifetime,” said Wu. “It reminds me that every Sailor plays an important role.”

A Town Hall meeting followed the ceremony. Greenert covered a range of topics including concerns about sexual assault, suicides, operational tempo and manning of ships at sea.

USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) successfully completed their Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) May 10.

INSURV inspectors examined engineering, combat systems and navigation equipment, as well as habitability environments to assess the overall material readiness of the ship. After a year of preparation by the crew, the INSURV inspection team deemed Blue Ridge seaworthy and mission ready.

“The crew did an outstanding job preparing for INSURV,” said Blue Ridge Communication Systems Officer and INSURV coordinator Lt. Cmdr. Vic Naval. “Their hard work in correcting any and all discrepancies was the driving force behind this successful inspection.”

INSURV kicked off with a 17-hour underway period that demonstrated the ship’s
pre-underway safety checks and operational demonstrations. After returning to port, INSURV inspectors graded selected equipment systems, tanks and voids.

At the conclusion of Blue Ridge’s inspection, Senior Inspector Capt. Eric Tapp presented details, discrepancies and overall results from the week-long inspection to Blue Ridge’s Commanding Officer Capt. Will Pennington.

To prepare for INSURV, Sailors successfully completed prior inspections from the Tycom Material Inspection Team and Inspection and Readiness Assist Team to make sure all systems onboard were operating at optimal standards.

“We have done a good job preparing and executing this inspection,” said Blue Ridge Executive Officer Lt. Cmdr. Brian Ribota. “The crew’s positive attitudes have been outstanding, and I am proud of everyone, from our newest E-1 Sailor to our most senior leaders.”

YOKOSUKA, Japan – Marines from Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team Pacific (FASTPAC) began visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) exercises with Sailors aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54), May 7.

The joint VBSS exercises are designed to improve operability and coordination of the Navy-Marine Corps team.

Marine Chief Warrant Officer Randolph Mann, executive officer of FASTPAC 1st Platoon, said the goal of the VBSS exercise is to enhance the working relationship between the Marines of FASTPAC and Curtis Wilbur Sailors.

“VBSS is a required skill for both services and serves as a great platform to establish a common baseline of knowledge,” Mann said. “This will enable more effective and efficient communication if the need would arise to employ FASTPAC in the VBSS role.”

In the scenario, Curtis Wilbur Sailors portrayed opposing forces attempting to board the ship while in a foreign port.

Ensign Taylor Hamilton, VBSS team boarding officer on board Curtis Wilbur, said this training is critical for both the Marine Corps and Navy in the event that a Navy vessel is seized and required immediate assistance.

“This type of training is a great hands-on opportunity for Marines, especially when a number of them have never been on a ship before,” said Hamilton. “Allowing the Marines to familiarize themselves with what to expect while boarding an actual ship helps them to understand how to properly search, seize and secure spaces.”

During the exercise, Marines simulated a fast rope insertion, conducted various VBSS movements and procedures, and established pier side security to assist Curtis Wilbur until departure.

“This was our first time to train together as a platoon on a real ship,” said Lance Cpl. Matthew Vergara. “Just by looking at the schematics of a ship you may not know how to properly assess the situation until you are inside.”

Vergara continued on by saying the training was very helpful and that he looks forward to future training opportunities aboard other afloat platforms.

Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team companies maintain forward-deployed platoons at Navy installations around the world to provide crises response capabilities and anti-terrorism and weapons training to security personnel.

Curtis Wilbur is part of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, in support of regional security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia – Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82) arrived in Vladivostok May 7.

The visit is part of building ties and fostering relationships with the Russian Navy on areas of mutual interest.

“Our goal is to continue building friendship and respect between the people of the United States and Russia while marking an important moment in our shared history,” said Cmdr. Scott McClelland, Lassen’s commanding officer. “It is also a great opportunity for the crew to make new friends and take part in cultural and recreational activities.”

While in Vladivostok, Sailors from Lassen are expected to participate in volunteer events in the area, including visiting children at a local cancer ward, playing games with young people at the Parus Nadezhdy shelter for at-risk youth, meeting and speaking with Russian Veterans and a friendly soccer game with Russian Sailors.

“These events are a good way to interact with people from other countries,” said Fire Controlman 1st Class Michael Faas, Lassen’s community service events coordinator. “The events with the kids give us a chance to show our care for, and give back to, the people we visit, and being able to visit the Veterans is an honor.”

The visit coincides with Victory Day, the Russian celebration of the end of World War II hostilities in Europe. Sailors will also attend Victory Day events and lay a wreath at the Pacific Fleet Battle Fame Memorial.

Additionally, Lassen Sailors will have opportunities to take tours and learn about Vladivostok’s history and Russian culture.

“I’m excited to visit Russia,” said Faas. “I’ve been to several countries in the region, but getting a chance to go to Vladivostok is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

The last time Lassen visited Vladivostok was in 2007, when it participated in a naval exercise alongside ships from the Russian Pacific Fleet. It also made a visit in 2003.

“We appreciate the hospitality of the people of Vladivostok and the Russian Navy. As two seagoing Nations, our countries and our Sailors share common experiences and special bonds,” McClelland said.

Lassen is part of Destroyer Squadron 15, forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, to support security and stability of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

YOKOSUKA, Japan (May 3, 2012) –Sailors aboard the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) and their families attended a command-sponsored pre-deployment fair at Purdy Gym.

Sailors visited more than 20 booths featuring information for themselves and their dependents when deployed in regards to safety, legal, financial, medical, religious as well as Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR).

“Well it’s a great place to get a lot of information all at once,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Paul Settle, from Carbondale, Ill. “With the Ombudsman and the Family Readiness Group (FRG) my wife can have other people to talk to and be able to have a support system to lean on while I’m away.”

An ombudsman is a volunteer appointed by the Commanding Officer,  who is responsible for establishing and maintaining current and accurate communication between the command and its family members.

“The Ombudsman are here today to represent the command, George Washington, and we are the liaison between the families and the military members onboard,” said Nick Bauman, USS George Washington Ombudsman. “There are a lot of Sailors who have never been underway before and the pre-deployment fair is good for all those people who don’t have the information that they really need to have in order to complete their mission while they are underway.”

Family Readiness Groups are an integral network that works with key support services including Ombudsmen, Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSCs) and chaplains to help Sailors and their families through deployments and to welcome them when they return home.

This year will mark George Washington’s fifth pre-deployment fair at Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka.

George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

-GW-

For high resolution photos of USS George Washington (CVN 73), click on our new Flickr website at http://www.flickr.com/photos/uss_george_washington/

YOKOSUKA, Japan (May 3, 2013) – Sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) participated in a mass casualty drill May 3.

            Sailors responded to a simulated flight-deck fire during the all-hands drill that resulted in a hangar bay fire with multiple casualties.

            “We’ve conducted numerous drills during the past couple months to prepare for our upcoming patrol,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 1st Class Nicolas Cuervo. “Today’s drill culminated in several ship-board teams, including flight deck, hangar bay and medical teams working together towards a resolution.”

The drill provided evolutions that enhance the crew’s muscle-memory to combat and respond to the possibility of a real-life situation.

“We focus on the maintenance side when we are in port and we focus on the operational side when at sea, so it’s important to do these drills to stay sharp,” said Cuervo. “I’ve been part of an actual casualty situation and many Sailors get in the mind frame that it will never happen. We focus on repetition and in doing so; it will be reactionary if a casualty ever does occur.”

            A mass casualty drill tests the effectiveness of the crew by providing more casualties than what the medical department can support alone.

“The training is for corpsmen and Sailors to educate them on how to transfer and treat mass casualties,” said Lt. William Gallagher, a George Washington dental officer. “If there is a mass casualty, we need to keep people on their toes. It’s important that we learn to treat people quickly to get people in a stable condition, so that they can be transferred to an appropriate medical area.”

Sailors were required to simulate damage control, fire fighting, casualty evacuation and treatment.

“Sailors battled a fire and transferred casualties out of the scene to a triage area where medical then sorted out the injured and provided treatment,” said Cuervo.

Sailors simulate casualties with a variety of injuries during the drill, including smoke inhalation, broken limbs and different types of burns.

 “From the corpsmen treating injuries to the ship’s crew conducting damage control and being stretcher bearers, it’s an all-hand evolution,” said Gallagher. “Learning how to use a stretcher can be extremely important. Casualties can occur in any part of the ship, so we need to learn the proper way to carry people up and down ladder wells.”

George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

-GW-

For high resolution photos of USS George Washington (CVN 73), click on our new Flickr website at http://www.flickr.com/photos/uss_george_washington/

PACIFIC OCEAN – The guided-missile cruiser USS Chosin (CG 65) arrived in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) May 4.

While in the 7th Fleet, CHOSIN will conduct exercises and port visits to enhance maritime partnerships and promote peace and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

“It’s been just over a year that I had the privilege of assuming command of Chosin and its exceptional crew,” said Capt. Patrick Kelly, commanding officer. “We are trained, we are focused, and we are ready to operate forward. It is our privilege to be part of Navy’s rebalancing initiative in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. We look forward to operating with our allies, partners and friends in the months ahead — wherever we are needed.”

Chosin will join up with the Nimitz Strike Group soon after entering the 7th Fleet AOR. They will participate in training exercises designed to enhance combat readiness through combined training.

Chosin, an AEGIS guided missile cruiser, is capable of executing multiple warfare areas simultaneously to include air, surface, sub-surface and strike. As part of Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, Chosin operates forward, maintaining the highest standards of readiness in order to promote stability throughout the region.

Over the past year, Chosin has completed the Basic Phase of Training and participated in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012. Most recently, the ship successfully completed the Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV). Chosin departed from its homeport in Pearl Harbor April 30. The ship’s last deployment to 7th Fleet was in 2010.

Chosin follows in the wake of countless ships, aircraft and Sailors that deployed to the region over the past 70 years, continuing the Navy’s ongoing commitment to maintain security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. The U.S. 7th Fleet AOR spans 48 million square miles, from the International Date Line to the Western Indian Ocean.