Month: September 2022

Source: United States Navy

The ship was named for Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in honor of the 40 passengers and crew who gave their lives on United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The passengers and crew prevented the plane from reaching its intended target but tragically crashed in Stoneycreek Township in Somerset County.

“It is important to remember those who came before us and honor their sacrifice,” said Somerset Command Master Chief Jared Mueller. “The selfless acts of the Flight 93 passengers saved countless lives, and their determination inspires us on a daily basis.”

The Somerset crew was joined by family members of Andrew “Sonny” Garcia and Deora Bodley, two of the heroes of Flight 93. Crew members honored the sacrifice of the 40 heroes by ringing a bell and placing a flower for each person in a vase on a memorial table.

“This is a very special ship – Somerset – one of three built from the steel of the World Trade Center and from a mining machine in Somerset County,” said Cmdr. Jeffrey Kelso, Somerset’s Executive Officer. “Whenever we have families aboard Somerset, it reminds us why the ship was named after Somerset County, and that it is in their honor.”

In addition to the shipboard ceremony each year, Somerset sends Sailors to Somerset County to participate in the Flight 93 National Memorial 9/11 commemoration and other outreach events. Their presence fosters the strong relationship with the Somerset County community and allows Sailors to share the significance of being assigned to Somerset.

“It is an absolute honor to be a part of the Somerset crew and one of the Sailors selected to participate in the 9/11 remembrance in Somerset County,” said Lt. Edwin Handley, Somerset’s command chaplain. “Our ship honors the heroes of Flight 93 in everything it is and does, and it is important to carry on their legacy to educate younger generations.”

Somerset is a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock assigned to Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 3 and home ported in San Diego. The ship’s keel contains steel from a mining machine standing near the crash site in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Every deck of the ship contains mementos of Flight 93, including a dedicated passageway leading to the Memorial Room, which bears the names of the passengers. Like its sister ships USS New York (LPD 21) and USS Arlington (LPD 24), Somerset was named in honor of those who lost their lives during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

ESG 3 comprises four amphibious squadrons, 11 amphibious warships, and eight naval support elements including approximately 18,000 active-duty and reserve Sailors and Marines. As Deputy Commander for Amphibious and Littoral Warfare, U.S. 3rd Fleet, Commander, ESG 3 also oversees the 14 littoral combat ships under Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 1 and MCMGRU 3. ESG 3 is postured in support of U.S. 3rd Fleet as a globally responsive and scalable naval command element, capable of generating, deploying, and employing naval forces and formations for crisis and contingency response, forward presence, and major combat operations focusing on amphibious operations, humanitarian and disaster relief (HADR) and support to defense civil authorities (DSCA), and expeditionary logistics.

For more news from Expeditionary Strike Group 3, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/esg3/.

Source: United States Navy

During the five-day namesake visit, 12 Sailors from CVN 78 spent time with members of the Ford Family and Ford Foundation, built relationships with members of the local communities and explored locations that were significant to Gerald R. Ford’s life and career.

The 12 Sailors flew into Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan on August 31 and held a dinner that night with two of President Ford’s nephews, Bob and Greg Ford, discussing “Uncle Jerry” stories and how much it meant to President Ford that the Navy’s next generation of aircraft carriers was named after him.

“You don’t know how much this namesake visit means to me, our family and our community,” said Greg Ford, nephew of President Ford. “‘Integrity at the Helm’ is a perfect descriptor of what Uncle Jerry was all about. To see you folks (on the ship) and know that you’re there representing Integrity at the Helm means a lot to us. It means a lot to the entire Ford Family. We really appreciate everything that you do.”

On September 1, the Sailors held a wreath laying ceremony at the tomb of Gerald R. Ford and Betty Ford, placing 12 roses on a wreath and floral arrangement at the tomb. A few Sailors spoke with local television and radio news outlets about the significance of the event.

“We came out here as a namesake tour to learn more about President Ford as well as his ventures up in Michigan,” said Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Esteban Reyes during an on-camera interview.

Following the wreath laying ceremony, the group of Ford Sailors visited the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, which houses materials and documents that represent the life of Gerald R. Ford. Inside, Sailors viewed items from Ford’s youth, his time as a boy scout, his naval, congressional and presidential career, and a scale model of the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

That afternoon, the Sailors visited Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, a women-founded rehabilitation hospital with roots dating back to 1891. Mary Free Bed named its cancer rehabilitation program after First Lady Betty Ford to pay tribute to her efforts toward normalizing the conversation around breast cancer. Betty Ford was “the first prominent woman to speak openly about breast cancer,” paving the way forward for women with breast cancer and saving women’s lives around the world, according to a representative of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. Additionally, she was a founding member of the guild that governs the hospital.

After the Sailors toured Mary Free Bed’s facility, they spent two hours with a group of veterans receiving care at the hospital. There were veterans from each branch of military service at the meet and greet. During the engagement, Cmdr. Richard Rosenbusch, Ford’s assistant air officer, personally handed a USS Gerald. R. Ford command ballcap to each veteran who attended. A few of the veterans had tears in the eyes when they received their ballcap.

“Those veterans were so touched by your visit,” said Donna Calvaruso, member of the President Gerald R. Ford Historical Legacy Trust. “You impacted them. You really did.”

The evening of September 1, the 12 Sailors visited the DeVos Family Center for Scouting, Adventure Point, to spend an afternoon with local Scouts and participate in rock climbing.

On September 2, the Sailors traveled to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where they visited the “Big House” football stadium, spoke with several members and leaders of the Naval Officer Reserve Training Corps program and observed the hydrodynamic and marine engineering tow tank on campus.

While in Ann Arbor, the Sailors also visited the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, which holds more than 25 million pages of documents and photos from Ford’s life. There, the Sailors viewed Ford’s personal office, many letters addressed to him and Betty Ford and a close-up view of specific documents from his naval, congressional and presidential career, including his application to the naval reserve, as well as photo reels and a video documenting his speech at the USS Nimitz (CVN 65) commissioning ceremony on May 13, 1972.

Later that evening, the Sailors visited the Albion College Ford Institute for Leadership to participate in a panel and speak with students, veterans, civic leaders and members of the Albion community.

“I have never been on a ship that understands and has so much pride in their namesake as we do on the USS Gerald R. Ford,” said Cmdr. Rosenbusch during his opening remarks at the Albion College panel.

On September 3, the Sailors attended an Albion College Football game against Carthage College from Kenosha, Wisconsin where they interacted with the Albion community and Carthage College family members. During the halftime show, the Ford Sailors were recognized on the field and introduced to all attendees of the football game by Susan Ford Bales, daughter of President Ford, in a recorded voice message played on the stadium speakers.

“I am particularly happy to welcome the crew members from dad’s namesake aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, CVN 78,” said Ford Bales in a recorded message played on Albion College’s field. “Crew members, dad would be most proud to welcome you to Michigan. I am acutely aware that you and the USS Gerald R. Ford are about to be deployed into harm’s way. I know that everyone gathered today joins me in wishing you fair winds and following seas.”

The 12 Ford Sailors who attended the annual namesake visit were:
• Cmdr. Richard Rosenbusch, from New Baltimore, Michigan
• Lt. Ian Loomis, from Ottumwa, Iowa
• Ensign Paula Niederland, from Englewood, New Jersey
• Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Phillip Jean-Gilles, from Miami
• Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Cheryl Ehrenfeld, from Livonia, Michigan
• Aviation Electrician’s Mate 1st Class Frank Weyer, from Jonesville, Michigan
• Machinery Repairman 2nd Class Bowen Kincaid, from Battle Creek, Michigan,
• Fire Controlman 2nd Class Tyler Westbrook, from Port Huron, Michigan
• Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Esteban Reyes, from Toledo, Ohio
• Air Traffic Controller Airman Kyle Kurth, from St. Joseph, Michigan
• Retail Service Specialist Kasey Wetters, from Birmingham, Michigan

USS Gerald R. Ford, homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, is conducting workups for the ship’s first scheduled deployment this fall.

Source: United States Navy

Cole and Bainbridge, assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28, which is commanded by Capt. Blair Guy, deployed with the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) in December 2021.

Bainbridge conducted operations in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. 6th Fleet, to defend U.S., allied and partner interests. Cole also operated in European waters in addition to several months in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, where the ship helped ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East.

During the deployment, the ships supported dual and tri-carrier operations as well as participated in multiple bi-lateral and multi-lateral training opportunities with the Israeli, British, Italian, Hellenic, Spanish, and French navies, among others.

While in U.S. 6th Fleet, Bainbridge participated in multiple international exercises and activities to include Neptune Strike 2022, Dynamic Manta, Phoenix Express, Mare Aperto, and Neptune Shield 2022 with forces from Croatia, Italy, Albania, Spain, France, and Turkey. The ship also supported tri-carrier operations with the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R91) and Italian carrier ITS Cavour (C 550) carrier strike groups, highlighting Bainbridge’s diverse mission set and capabilities while underscoring the importance of interoperability and operational readiness.

“I’m incredibly proud of how well the crew performed during our extended deployment to U.S. 6th Fleet,” said Cmdr. James Hagerty, Bainbridge’s commanding officer. “Their efforts greatly strengthened NATO at a critical time for the Alliance.”

While in U.S. 5th Fleet, Cole participated in multinational exercises to include the International Maritime Exercise/Cutlass Express 2022, the largest maritime exercise in the Middle East with over 60 partner nations and international organizations, and Exercise Intrinsic Defender with the Israeli Navy.

Cole also conducted a flag verification boarding of a stateless fishing vessel transiting the Gulf of Oman along a known smuggling route. U.S. forces discovered 40 tons of urea fertilizer, a chemical compound with agricultural applications that is also known to be used as an explosive precursor. The U.S. Navy later transferred the fertilizer and vessel to Yemeni Coast Guard officials.

“This crew is unlike any I’ve ever seen,” said Cmdr. Jim Welsch, Cole’s commanding officer. “They conducted events across every major mission area while operating in both 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations, and the crew has delivered excellent results with every opportunity.  I know that our Sailors’ families back home are proud of our Determined Warriors.”

The crew was then called back to U.S 6th Fleet area of operations where Cole re-joined the strike group and participated in numerous multinational surface, subsurface, air defense and maneuverability exercises with the Italian and French navies.

Both Cole and Bainbridge proved to be an integral part of the HSTCSG during every phase of deployment.

“Our goal at the beginning of this deployment was to demonstrate our commitment to NATO and defend U.S. and partner interests in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility,” said Guy. “Through our professionalism and relentless pursuit of improving integration and interoperability with NATO and partner forces, I believe we demonstrated just how combat capable our combined forces can be.”

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), commanded by Capt. Gavin Duff, serves as the flagship of the HSTCSG; additional elements include the nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, commanded by Capt. Patrick Hourigan; the destroyers of DESRON 28, which also included USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), USS Gravely (DDG 107), USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), and USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109); and the Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56), commanded by Capt. Christopher Marvin.

The strike group also participated in a Cooperative Deployment with the Royal Norwegian Navy’s Fridtjof-Nansen class frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F310), who returned home to Norway in May.

For more news from C2F, visit https://www.c2f.navy.mil and for more information visit http://www.facebook.com/US2ndFleet or http://twitter.com/US2ndFleet.

For more news from CSG 8, Cole, or Bainbridge visit, www.facebook.com/CSG8, https://www.facebook.com/DDG67, www.facebook.com/ussbainbridge, www.twitter.com/ussharrystruman, http://instagram.com/uss_harrys.truman, www.facebook.com/usnavy, www.navy.mil, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

Source: United States Navy

Two active duty Sailors aboard the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) made military medical history after U.S. Navy dentists successfully removed the Sailors’ failing teeth and implanted 3D-printed prosthetics for the first time while assigned to a carrier.   

“This innovative operation not only vastly improved the quality of life for the Sailors, but it also proved that Navy medicine provides our service members with the highest available medical care anywhere at any time,” said Lt. Justin Odette, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

American aircraft carriers embark roughly six thousand active-duty Sailors, which include five dentists.  A carrier will typically have one oral and maxillofacial surgeon, one prosthodontist or comprehensive dentist, and three general dentists.  

In April 2022, these two patients underwent the “all-on-4” procedure at Naval Hospital Bremerton, Washington, which resulted in greatly enhanced oral health, improved functional bite, and confidence in their smiles. 

Both patients followed up with the oral surgeons and prosthodontists for two weeks to confirm continued healing and fine tuning adjustments to the dental prostheses. They returned to full duty after two weeks of healing without any post-operative complications. 

All-on-4 is a prosthodontics procedure for total rehabilitation of an edentulous patient and refers to all teeth being supported on four dental implants.

Typically, patients were relegated to delays in treatment until having shore orders or given only removable denture options. 

“Complex dental treatment plans such as ‘all-on-4’ were previously considered impossible or impractical while attached to a carrier due to deployment scheduling unique to Navy medicine and unavailability of advanced digital dental equipment such as intraoral scanning and 3D printers,” said Cmdr. Michael Andersen, department head, Area Dental Lab, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) San Diego, and a maxillofacial prosthodontist.  

Today, eight of America’s eleven aircraft carriers are now outfitted with state of the art digital dental equipment such as intraoral scanners, which can expedite and enhance care rendered for our warfighters assigned to these platforms.

Odette, from the USS Theodore Roosevelt and Lt. Cmdr. Justin Carl, from the USS Nimitz, were assigned to their first duty stations aboard their respective aircraft carriers after their oral and maxillofacial surgery training at NMRTC San Diego. 

There, they were integral in the establishment of 3D-printed prosthetic teeth for this surgical technique as standard practice for future residents in the program.   

U.S. Navy Capt. Christopher Kaplafka, NMRTC Bremerton; and Cmdr. Robert Holmes, USS Theodore Roosevelt; both seasoned Navy prosthodontists, were consulted for their clinical expertise and agreed with the treatment plans, and to restore these patients after surgery. 

Dental technicians took 3D radiographs of each patient and combined it with intraoral scans of their teeth to plan the surgeries and dental implant positions. 

The surgical guides and dental prostheses were designed digitally, and these files were sent to the San Diego Area Dental Laboratory where the physical surgical guides and dental prostheses were 3D-printed and finished by certified dental laboratory technicians. 

The Navy surgery teams received the finished products back from the dental laboratory in less than two weeks. Rapid manufacturing of exceptionally high-quality dental laboratory restorations such as this is a critical element in military health care to get active duty service members back to full medical readiness.

“I had many fears going through my mind on the possibility of anything failing and having to wear dentures,” said Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Dianne Ancheta, one of the two patients.  “The surgery process was good, and I had zero pain in my mouth.  I returned to work two weeks after the surgery and have been at work to include two underway periods.  I have my confidence back for the first time in six years. I have my smile back.”

The Navy’s pioneering advancements in digital dental technologies now allow patients access to world-class medical treatment on board aircraft carriers anywhere in the world. 

“These cases highlight Navy Dentistry’s outstanding ability to treat its patients, who are no longer restricted to receiving excellent medical care only while assigned to shore duties,” said Carl. “This milestone proves that the United States Navy remains an innovative leader in dental medicine and will continue to bring marked quality of life improvements for its servicemen and women in the future.”