Month: June 2024

Source: United States Navy

Good evening, everyone! Buenas Noches!

It’s wonderful to be here with you tonight.

Ambassador Reynoso, thank you for hosting this wonderful event—and for your support to our Navy, Marine Corps, and Armed Forces.

But I extend to you a most special thanks for your leadership here in Spain as our Nation’s Ambassador.

You have truly represented our President, Commander in Chief, and our people extremely well.

And Betty and I are most proud to call you a friend.

Now, some of you may know that while I was born in Cuba and raised in the United States, my family can trace our roots to the town of Toro in the Spanish province of Zamora.

And as a young Naval Academy midshipman or guardiamarina, I had the incredible opportunity to sail with the Armada Española—an experience that helped shape my naval career and provided me with a profound appreciation for the key strategic relationship shared by our two nations.

The histories of Spain and the United States are indeed linked all the way back to the very founding of our nation.

But Spain’s influence extends to the very ranks of our earliest military heroes.

Jorge Farragut Mesquida, an immigrant from Minorca, served in the South Carolina state navy and the Continental Army—and his legacy is a testament to the contributions of immigrants to the American story.

His son, David Glasgow Farragut, became the first full Admiral in the United States Navy and a defining figure in the American Civil War.

And during the American Revolution, Spanish officers and leaders like Almirante Luis de Córdova and Conde Bernardo de Gálvez—stand out as vital to the American struggle for independence and liberty.

Bernardo de Gálvez wasn’t just a supporter from afar—his actions directly influenced the course of the war and led to him being recognized as one of only eight individuals bestowed the honor of honorary American citizenship in 2014.

Stationed as governor of Spanish Louisiana, Gálvez recognized the critical role New Orleans and the Mississippi River could play in aiding our cause. 

Gálvez authorized the covert shipment of weapons, ammunition, medicine, and clothing down the Mississippi to American forces fighting in the east. 

But Gálvez didn’t stop there. To disrupt British military operations, he launched an offensive campaign following the Spanish declaration of war—which was officially announced by King Carlos III 245 years ago today—a good name for a king, by the way!

This strategic move not only secured Spanish control of the Mississippi River but also forced the British to divert resources away from fighting the Continental Army in the east.

Gálvez’s decisive victory in Pensacola prevented Britain from launching a southern offensive and helped secure American independence.

And that is why, here tonight, in his homeland and celebrating the very independence he fought so bravely and decisively for, I am incredibly pleased to announce that the name of our next Constellation-class frigate, FFG 67, will be named the USS Gálvez.

I am also incredibly pleased to announce the sponsors for the future USS Galvez.

According to naval tradition, a ship sponsors’ spirit and presence guides the ship and her crew throughout her time in service.

I can think of no one more emblematic of the key strategic partnership and deep friendship between our two nations than our respective ambassadors—the U.S. Ambassador to Spain, Julissa Reynoso, and the Spanish Ambassador to the United States, Ángeles Moreno Bau.

Just as Gálvez helped our fledgling nation during our fight for independence, so too will Ambassador Reynoso and Ambassador Moreno Bau help usher the future USS Galvez throughout out its entire life.

The American people are forever thankful to Gálvez—and indeed the Spanish people—for their support and partnership.

May God continue to bless our navies, marine corps, and indeed our nations with fair winds and following seas.

Thank you.

Source: United States Navy

MADRID – Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced that a future Constellation-class Guided Missile Frigate, FFG 67, will be named USS Galvez, June 21.

Secretary Del Toro made the announcement while joining U.S. Ambassador to Spain Julissa Reynoso Pantaleón and Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy, Admiral Antonio Pineiro, in Madrid, Spain, for the U.S. Embassy’s Fourth of July Celebration.

The future USS Galvez honors Conde Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid and his service during the American Revolutionary War.  This will be the first U.S. Navy vessel named for Gálvez.

“Gálvez wasn’t just a supporter from afar—his actions directly influenced the course of the war and helped secure American Independence,” said Secretary Del Toro. “That is why, in his homeland, I am incredibly pleased to announce that our next Constellation-class frigate, FFG 67, will be named the USS Gálvez.”

During the American Revolution, Gálvez provided supplies, intelligence, and military support to the American colonists and led military victories for Spain against Great Britain.  As governor of Spain’s territory in Louisiana, he covertly worked with American agent Oliver Pollock in 1777 to transfer money, gunpowder, and vital supplies to colonial forces. 

In his direct service to Spain, Gálvez recruited an army of 7,500 men made up of Spanish, French, African American, Mexican, Cuban, and Anglo-American forces.  In 1779–1780, his forces defeated the British at Battles in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Natchez, Mississippi; and Mobile, Alabama.  In 1781, he successfully seized Pensacola, Florida, and was wounded during the fighting.  His contributions were recognized by George Washington as a decisive factor in the outcome of the Revolutionary War. 

After the Revolutionary War, Gálvez led an effort to chart the Gulf of Mexico, including Galveston Bay, and served as the viceroy of New Spain.  In 2014, the United States Congress passed Public Law No. 113-229, granting him honorary citizenship of the United States—making him one of only eight honorary citizens in U.S. history.

The future USS Galvez, the sixth of the new Constellation-class frigates, was appropriated in 2024. The other ships in the class are USS Constellation (FFG 62), USS Congress (FFG 63), USS Chesapeake (FFG 64), USS Lafayette (FFG 65), and USS Hamilton (FFG 66). Secretary Del Toro named the future USS Lafayette (FFG 65) in 2023 and the future USS Hamilton (FFG 66) in May 2024.

Along with the ship’s name, Secretary Del Toro announced the sponsors for the USS Galvez will be Ambassador Reynoso Pantaleón and Spanish Ambassador to the U.S. Ángeles Moreno Bau. They, in their role as sponsors, will represent a lifelong relationship with the ship and crew.

“Honoring Bernardo de Gálvez in this way at our Independence celebration marks not only the close, enduring, and historic partnership between the United States and Spain, it also recognizes his and Spain’s critical role in the war for America’s Independence almost 250 years ago,” said Ambassador Reynoso.

The Constellation-class guided-missile frigate represents the Navy’s next generation small surface combatant. This ship class will be an agile, multi-mission warship, capable of operations in both blue-water and littoral environments, providing increased combat-credible forward presence that provides a military advantage at sea.

The Constellation-class will have multi-mission capability to conduct air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, electronic warfare, and information operations.

More information on guided missile frigates can be found here.

Source: United States Navy

“Commander Stastny was the right leader, at the right time, building upon a vast legacy to ensure his team was strong, agile, and able to attack the complex challenges and issues presented by service in the Pacific theater,” said Capt. Marion Gregg, Commander of Navy and Marine Corps Force Health Protection Command.

Stastny assumed duties as the Officer in Charge in 2021. During his tour the unit provided critical force health protection support during the peak of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Red Hill Water Crisis, Rim of the Pacific 2022, and the 2023 Medical Inspector General inspection. Furthermore, NEPMU 6 staff supported the deployment readiness needs, disease surveillance, and laboratory and entomology support of eight ships and 15 submarines conducting combat operations in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), and U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT) areas of responsibility.

Under Stastny’s leadership NEPMU 6 came to be recognized as the Indo-Pacific Command and Pacific Fleet Surgeon’s public health unit of choice for preventive medicine expertise, support, and soft power throughout the region and across the globe. He was responsible for the deployment of 24 personnel across 15 countries, providing public health services to Bahrain, Guantanamo Bay, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Djibouti, Poland, Romania, Australia, and the Philippines.

Stastny’s leadership was instrumental to the Joint Base Pearl Harbor regional leadership during the early days of the Red Hill Crisis. He provided critical health risk communication strategies to unit leaders and supported mitigation efforts by supplying seven of his staff to aid the crisis response team. This team utilized expertise to return displaced family members to their homes and ensure safe drinking water standards were proven and communicated to 93,000 residents.

During Rim of the Pacific 2022, Stastny fully integrated the Forward Deployable Preventive Medicine Unit (FDPMU) into the exercise for the first time. Working with Japan and Australian Defense Forces, Naval Construction Regiment, and the US Army 25th Combat Aviation Battalion, he was able to coordinate a joint outbreak response scenario that culminated in the FDPMU team successfully responding to a simulated cholera outbreak onboard the Japanese Ship Izumo (DDH 183). This integration successfully introduced the “anytime, anywhere” capabilities of the FDPMU to the Navy Surgeon General, US Army 18th Medical Command CG, INDOPACOM, and PACFLT Surgeons and medical personnel representing 26 allied nations.

The January 2023 Medical Inspector General (MEDIG) inspection of NEPMU 6 resulted in all inspected programs being fully compliant, with two Notable Practices highlighted. The official MEDIG report concluded, “This inspection sets the record for the best results in MEDIG documented history.”

During his final remarks, Stastny quoted Capt. Albert Kaiss, the final commanding officer of the USS Missouri (BB-63), who said, “’It is often said that the crew makes the command.’ There is no truer statement, for it’s the crew of this great ship that made it a great command. You are a special breed of Sailors, and I am proud to have served with every one of you. Working with the outstanding Sailors and Civilians at NEPMU 6 has been the highlight of my career, thank you, everyone, for three wonderful years.”

Dunn will be the 22nd Officer in Charge and comes aboard as the unit prepares for the upcoming Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) a multinational exercise involving 29 nations and more than 25,000 personnel. Upon taking the helm Dunn commented, “As we go forward, we will meet and overcome many challenges in the years to come, just as you did with Commander Stastny. I am impressed and humbled to be following in your shoes. I look forward to taking the public health mission out across the Pacific to the Navy and Marine Corps.”

He went on to say, “I can tell that this team is well-trained, physically fit, and mentally resilient. NEPMU 6 is ready to execute our mission and to carry out the greater mission established by the Navy and Marine Corps Force Health Protection Command.”

NEPMU 6 was established in 1949 and serves as one of four Environmental and Preventive Medicine Units across the globe. Dedicated to safeguarding the well-being of servicemen and women, NEPMU 6 has worked tirelessly to maximize the mission readiness of the operational forces in the Pacific Theater.

Story originally posted on DVIDS: Navy Environmental Preventive Medicine Unit Six Welcomes New Officer In Charge Amidst Preparation for Rim Of The Pacific 2024