Month: March 2024

Source: United States Navy

“I would like to thank the city of Ishigaki for your warm welcome,” said Cmdr. Stephen D. Szachta, commanding officer of Rafael Peralta. “Our Sailors enjoyed the opportunity to explore the surrounding area and try the local cuisine.”

The Rafael Peralta is the first United States destroyer to visit Ishigaki. The last US navy vessel to visit Ishigaki was USS Pioneer (MCM 9) September 11, 2023.

While at the port, the Rafael Peralta crew hosted a tour and reception for members of the media and other locals. The tours took visitors through the ship where subject matter experts explained the many ways the crew safely operates and navigates the ship.

Port visits are a critical mission for the U.S. Navy. This port visit facilitated the building of relationships and the exchanging of culture between the citizens and Sailors of Japan and Rafael Peralta Sailors. It also allowed for the demonstration of the life of a Sailor and of the capabilities of a destroyer.

“The U.S.-Japan alliance is a cornerstone in maintaining peace and stability within the dynamic Indo-Pacific region and our alliance has never been stronger,” Szatcha stated.

The Rafael Peralta is underway conducting routine operations and exercises building warfighting proficiency and increasing allied interoperability. Rafael Peralta is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.

U.S. 7th Fleet is the largest forward-deployed fleet in the world, and with the help of a network of alliances and partners from 35 other maritime-nations, the U.S. Navy has operated in the Indo-Pacific region for more than 70 years, providing credible, ready forces to help preserve peace and prevent conflict.

Source: United States Navy

WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro established and held the Department of the Navy’s first Integrated Resilience and Mental Health Forum, March 15.  

The inaugural meeting aimed to foster meaningful discussion across DON stakeholders, enhance the visibility of ongoing and new Navy and Marine Corps initiatives, and cultivate an environment for dialogue centered on mental health and resilience practices.   

More than 20 senior leaders from across the Department attended the forum, including the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Franklin Parker, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, director of NCIS, and leadership from the Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.  

“To ensure operational readiness, we must ensure our greatest strength—people—are, in fact, ready,” said Secretary Del Toro. “And we owe it to our Sailors and Marines to mirror the loyalty, commitment, honor, and courage they display for our country by taking care of their minds, bodies, and spirits.”  

The Secretary has continued to champion mental health and resiliency initiatives across the Department, and looks for this effort to build on the great work Sailors and Marines are already doing in the Navy and Marine Corps. 

In developing the forum, Secretary Del Toro sought to assess the state of DON resilience and mental health programs, identify gaps, and create a process to enhance collaboration on these important topics.  

“Even when people are competent and motivated to do great things, the system and processes can still lead to poor implementation, or even worse, failure,” said Del Toro. “This is a space to address these processes and systems, so that we can empower people with the means, policies, and resources that will have the most positive effect on our Sailors and Marines.”  

The forum is not a task force or working group, but is meant to facilitate an enduring environment of openness and collaboration to ensure continuity of effort across Navy and Marine Corps programs.   

In addition to Secretary Del Toro, attendees heard from Honorable Parker; Adm. Daryl Caudle, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command; Navy Surgeon General Rear Adm. Darin Via; and Adm. (Ret.) James “Sandy” Winnefeld and his wife, Ms. Mary Winnefeld.  

“This is our commitment to listening and learning from others, understanding different problem-solving approaches, seizing insights on best practices, and exploring innovative solutions together,” said Secretary Del Toro.   

In the future, the forum plans to hear from external partners from other military services, government agencies, academia, and the nonprofit sector.  

The forums will occur on a biannual basis, with the next one already scheduled for this upcoming summer.   

Examples of recent Department of Navy resilience and mental health efforts and resources can be found below:  

·         Mental Health Playbook   

·         Culture of Excellence   

·         Expanded Operational Stress Control (E-OSC)   

·         USMC Interactive Mental Fitness Resource  

·         Marine Corps Total Fitness (MCTF)  

Source: United States Navy

Gunston Hall’s return to Harstad is a milestone in the training objectives for Steadfast Defender, highlighting the ship’s ability to embark NATO forces and conduct Allied-integrated amphibious operations.

“Operating in the Arctic has been extremely valuable for Gunston Hall’s crew and the Allied troops she carried,” said Cmdr. Christopher W. Van Loenen, Gunston Hall’s commanding officer. “We have learned how to overcome the harsh environmental factors while still admiring the beauty of the Nordic Fjords. I look forward to our stay in Harstad, Norway, and showing appreciation to our hosts and strong Allies.”

During Steadfast Defender, Gunston Hall operated alongside Italian Landing Assault Helicopter Ship Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italian amphibious transport dock San Giorgio, and French Navy Aquitaine-class Frigate Normandie. Gunston Hall carried out five amphibious exercises and 19 well deck operations in the High North with French and Finnish forces, as well as NATO’s newest Ally, Sweden, all while under an Italian Amphibious Task Force, operating in Norwegian waters.

Gunston Hall’s integration with Allies and their presence in Harstad emphasizes NATO’s interoperability and readiness. It demonstrates the United States Navy’s dedication to fostering international partnerships.

Gunston Hall is an amphibious vessel currently assigned to the U.S. 2nd Fleet based in Norfolk, Virginia. It is one of the 50 NATO naval assets, accompanied by 80 air platforms and 1,100 combat vehicles, participating in Steadfast Defender. 2024 year marks the 75th anniversary of the NATO Alliance, and this exercise is the largest NATO exercise in decades, showcasing the alliance’s sheer strength and dominance.

Steadfast Defender 24 is a multi-domain operational and tactical-level live exercise that aims to rapidly deploy forces from North America and other parts of the Alliance to reinforce Europe’s defense. During the exercise, Allies demonstrated their ability to deploy some 90,000 forces from North America and other parts of the Alliance, move them to and across Europe, from the Arctic to the Eastern flank of the Alliance, and conduct defensive operations.

The 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 to ensure access, deter aggression, and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.

U.S. Navy photos and b-roll are available on DVIDS. For more information, contact c2f_pao@us.navy.mil.

Source: United States Navy

The visit coincides with the city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration and provides an opportunity to showcase the Navy’s capabilities and talent of its Sailors, with a goal of increasing awareness and understanding within the local community.

“We’re excited to show our Nation’s flag and tell the Navy story,” said Cmdr. Chance Smith, Truxtun’s commanding officer. “Our Navy is doing extremely important work all around the world every day, so it’s an honor for Truxtun to be here, share that story and serve as ambassadors on behalf of our service.”

A city already steeped in Navy heritage, Boston is home to the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat, USS Constitution, which sits just across town from where Truxtun is moored. With both vessels in town over the weekend, visitors will have the unique opportunity to see warships reflective of both the Navy’s origins at “Old Ironsides,” or a more modern approach onboard a destroyer.

The history in Boston this week isn’t limited to just ships either, as Truxtun has ten Sailors on board with ties to the Greater Boston area or surrounding parts of the Northeast.

“I’m very excited to be back home and bring the Navy with me,” said Lt. Meghan Brooks, operations officer on Truxtun and Pepperell, Mass. native. “There are so many amazing things this city has to offer and I’m excited for our crew to experience it, and similarly, I’m excited for Boston to interact with the talented men and women making up our force.”

The ship’s crew are scheduled to participate in a number of engagements around the city, ranging form community service projects to veteran events, and will wrap up the visit by taking part in South Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day / Evacuation Day parade.

Truxtun was commissioned in 2009 and is named after Commodore Thomas Truxtun, who was one of the first six commanders appointed by George Washington to the newly-formed U.S. Navy. She currently serves as part of Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic (SURFLANT).

SURFLANT mans, trains and equips assigned surface forces and shore activities, ensuring the capable force for conducting prompt and sustained operations in support of the United States national interests. More than 70 ships and 34 shore commands make up the SURFLANT force.

Source: United States Navy

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer played a key role in the exercise, which focused on enhancing interoperability and readiness across 32 NATO Allies and partner nations.

During the exercise, Paul Ignatius worked alongside more than 50 ships and 80 aircraft from NATO navies, conducting a variety of training scenarios to test and enhance the capabilities of the participating forces. The crew of the Paul Ignatius demonstrated their skill and professionalism throughout the exercise, showcasing the United States Navy’s commitment to collective defense and security in the region.

“We are proud to have represented the United States Navy in Steadfast Defender and to have worked alongside our NATO Allies and partners,” said Cmdr. Corry Lougee, commanding officer of Paul Ignatius. “The exercise was a valuable opportunity to train together, strengthen our relationships, and demonstrate our commitment to the security and stability of the region.”

The port visit to Narvik provides the crew of Paul Ignatius with an opportunity to rest and refuel before continuing on with their mission. It also allows for cultural exchange and interaction with the local community, further strengthening the bonds between the United States and Norway.

Paul Ignatius is one of the most advanced ships in the U.S. Navy’s fleet, equipped with cutting-edge technology and capable of conducting a wide range of missions. Its participation in Steadfast Defender highlights the ship’s versatility and readiness to respond to any challenge that may arise.