Month: February 2023

Source: United States Navy

This year’s symposium brought Hampton Roads area medical leadership together for training on health service support across numbered fleets to share operational medicine practices and lessons learned to ensure mission assurance.

MEDLANT Chief of Staff Capt. Carolyn Rice explained that integrating with medical communities across numbered fleets drives the evolution of medical processes.

“The Fleet Medicine Symposium establishes a common medical standard to the Navy and Marine Corps team ensuring the readiness of One Navy Medicine,” Rice said.

The symposium briefed operational medical logistics, manning issues and cold weather medicine. Some of the topics of conversation included recent training exercises and the strategic value of the Arctic. Navy Medicine leadership collaborated with maritime forces in discussions and training on combat casualty care and triage techniques specific to medical care of military personnel in cold weather environments.

“We need to sustain collaboration with our fleet partners and actively participate in exercises and rehearse the new warfighting concepts to guarantee mission success,” Rice said.

Navy Medicine is charged with preparing, training, and sustaining medical units to provide support to the fleet, Marine Corps, and joint forces in high-intensity combat environments and crisis situation.

U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the changing global security environment, develops and employs maritime forces ready to fight across multiple domains in the Atlantic and Arctic in order to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.

For more U.S. 2nd Fleet news and photos, visit facebook.com/US2ndFleet, Https://Www.C2f.Usff.Navy.Mil/, and Twitter – @US2ndFleet

Source: United States Navy

Sailors and guests joined Boatswains Mate 2nd Class Steven Valdez and his family for the baptism of Valdez’s first child using the ship’s bell.

Shipboard baptisms began hundreds of years ago with the British Royal Navy in foreign ports and at sea. Before the ceremony, the ship’s bell is removed from the headstock and placed in a stand upside down. During the ceremony, the minister baptizes the baby inside the bell and after the ceremony, the child’s name is engraved inside the bell.

The ceremony was performed by retired Navy Chaplain Cmdr. Keith J. Shuley and was Boxer’s first baptism onboard in more than two years.

“Being baptized on the ship is important for a number of reasons,” said Shuley. “It’s a Navy tradition to be able to remember the commemoration of a child to God as people understand him. It goes back before the U.S. Navy. They have been performed throughout history within the British Navy and have been a tradition in medieval navies, as well. It’s a great and important moment for the crew, for the ship, for the family and for the child.”

Valdez noted how helpful the ship’s two religious personnel specialists were in arranging this ceremony.

“The RPs [religious personnel specialists] have been amazing,” said Valdez. “Through this whole process they have had all the answers and made it so easy and stress-free for my family and me.”

The ship’s bell will remain onboard as long as the ship remains in service. After Boxer’s decommissioning, the bell will be preserved by the Naval History and Heritage Command.

“It’s extremely special to me,” said Valdez. “To be able to restart the tradition of people getting baptized onboard again. It means everything to my family, and we are absolutely over the moon to have the ceremony performed here.”

Boxer is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship commissioned February 11, 1995 and is the sixth ship to bear the name. Boxer’s crew is made up of approximately 1,200 officers and enlisted personnel and can accommodate up to 1,800 Marines.

Source: United States Navy

CANBERRA, Australia – Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday travelled to Canberra, Australia, Feb. 19-21, to meet with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Chief Vice Adm. Mark Hammond, AM to discuss their shared commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Gilday met with other members of the Royal Australian Navy and discussed the two navies’ shared focus on interchangeability, innovation, and combined operations.

The CNO had the opportunity to meet with U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy, where they talked about the importance of advancing our bilateral and Navy-to-Navy relationships.

Additionally, Gilday met with Chief of the Australian Defence Force Gen. Angus Campbell, AO, DSC, and Commander of the Australian Defence College Air Vice Marshal Steve Edgeley.

“Australia is one of our oldest friends and most enduring Allies,” said Gilday. “There is no daylight between how we see threats — we share a commitment of protecting and defending a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“I’m grateful to Admiral Hammond for his partnership and teamwork as we continue to strengthen our navies’ interchangeability,” he added.  “Our Sailors operate together around the globe, sailing together and participating in high-end maritime exercises—demonstrating our shared commitment to ensuring peace and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific.”

The CNO visited the Australian Defence College, where he spoke with Royal Australian Navy, Army, and Air Force service members about the strategic importance of the enduring Alliance between Australia and the U.S.; the two navies working together to uphold the rules-based order; and strengthening partnership, advancing from interoperability to interchangeability. 

Gilday and his wife Linda Gilday visited the Australian War Memorial, where the CNO laid a wreath during the time-honored Last Post Ceremony.

“I’m truly humbled by the opportunity to participate in such a meaningful ceremony,” said Gilday. “Reflecting upon the sacrifices of servicemen and women who came before us serves as a reminder that our security and prosperity—and our friendships that uphold them—must never be taken for granted.”

The U.S. and Australian navies share a mutual interest in maintaining freedom of navigation and adherence to the rules-based international order. They conduct frequent cooperative deployments, and regularly operate together during flagship theater exercises like Pacific Partnership, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) and the Australian-led Kakadu. This year, the U.S. and RAN will participate in numerous exercises, to include:  ANNUALEX, Sea Dragon, Pacific Partnership, Talisman Sabre, and Malabar, as well as many others.

This trip marked Gilday’s third face-to-face meeting with Hammond, and his first visit to Canberra, Australia, as CNO.