Source: United States Navy
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY SOUDA BAY, Greece – Logisticians assigned to Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Sigonella (NAVSUP FLCSI) and their mission partners at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay Greece coordinated the loading of cargo, mail and food provisions to USNS Supply (T-AOE 6) at the Marathi NATO Pier Complex, May 3, 2022.
USNS Supply departed the pier with 18 pallets of milk equaling 6,000 gallons after the cargo onload, delivering the provisions to the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) during a replenishment-at-sea (RAS), May 7, 2022.
“The customer service and flexibility demonstrated by our NAVSUP FLCSI team at NSA Souda Bay was critical for the mail and provisions load to USNS Supply,” said Bong Cabling, NAVSUP FLCSI executive director. “In particular, our customs clearance agents worked with Greek officials to clear the milk and fresh frozen provisions before a national holiday.”
The RAS this month is the most recent of multiple replenishments for HSTCSG since it arrived in the Mediterranean Sea in December. In February, NAVSUP FLCSI and its mission partners supported the replenishment of HSTCSG from strategic locations at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, and NSA Souda Bay in support of the NATO-led activity Neptune Strike.
“NAVSUP FLC Sigonella has been critical to our success throughout this entire deployment,” said Cmdr. Autumn Daniel, USS Harry S. Truman’s supply officer. “They’ve played a key role in keeping our Sailors fed and healthy, along with keeping us materially ready.”
The HSTCSG has been on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to maintain and generate maritime stability and security for the U.S., and Allied and Partner interests in Europe and Africa. Read more about HSTCSG’s presence in the Mediterranean Sea here.
Truman, flagship of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (CSG), along with the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56); Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), USS Cole (DDG 67), USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) and USS Mitscher (DDG 57) have supported NATO enhanced Air Policing missions and national and Alliance interests during their time in theater, bolstering the defense of the NATO Alliance. They have been joined at various points in deployment by NATO Allied and partner ships, including the Norwegian Royal Navy Fridjof Nansen-class frigate HNoMS Fridjtof Nansen (F310) and Italian Navy Bergamini-class guided-missile frigate ITS Carabiniere (F 593).
Fritdjof Nansen recently detached from the HSTCSG after a cooperative workup cycle and deployment with the strike group for the past eight months.
USNS Supply is one of Military Sealift Command’s fast combat support ships whose ability to replenish ships at-sea provides greater flexibility to remain underway for extended periods of time.
NAVSUP’s mission partner in Greece, NSA Souda Bay, is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed and when they are needed to ensure security and stability in the U.S. European, Africa, and Central Command areas of responsibility.
FLCSI is one of NAVSUP’s eight globally-positioned commands that provides for the full range of solutions for logistics, business and support services to the U.S. Naval, Joint, NATO and Allied Forces across 14 enduring and forward operating sites; forward contingency and cooperative security locations in 13 countries in Europe and Africa.
(Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jamica Johnson, Carrier Strike Group 8 Public Affairs contributed to this story)