Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States Navy

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, CARAT has become a flagship example of U.S.-Malaysia defense collaboration, underscoring both nations’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. This year’s CARAT Malaysia highlighted an impressive scope of naval capabilities and fortified the foundation of a partnership spanning four decades.

“I’m incredibly proud of our strong security partnership with Malaysia – a foundational pillar of the U.S.-Malaysia Comprehensive Partnership and a cornerstone of regional stability,” said U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia Edgard Kagan. “For 40 years, our military cooperation has steadily grown in strength, and today, we conduct 14 joint exercises annually, deepening our commitment to peace and security.”

During the exercise, participants trained on a full spectrum of naval capabilities. These cooperative evolutions highlighted the ability of Malaysia and the United States to work together towards the common goal of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The ashore phase featured subject matter expert exchanges and a variety of joint training opportunities. These included dive and salvage training, aviation and information sharing, force protection, cyber security, maritime domain awareness, and maritime law and law enforcement.

At-sea training was conducted in the Strait of Malacca where U.S. Navy assets were joined by ships and aircraft from the Royal Malaysian Navy for events focused on building interoperability and strengthening relationships.

The exercise demonstrated the bilateral force’s ability to work together through numerous events, including tactics designed to enhance communication as ships sail together in complex maneuvers. Other focus areas included surface warfare, mobile diving and salvage, replenishment-at-sea approaches and visit, board, search and seizure.

“The objectives of this exercise have not only been a platform for training and development but also a powerful testament to our shared commitment to regional security and cooperation,” said Royal Malaysian Navy First Admiral Dr. Tay Yap Leong, commander, Diving and Mine Warfare. “The lessons learned here will be crucial as we prepare for future challenges, reminding us that our strength lies not just in our capabilities, but in our ability to work as a cohesive unit.”

Malaysia has been part of the CARAT exercise series since it began in 1995. CARAT Malaysia 2024 is a continuation of 30 years of maritime engagements between the U.S. Navy and Royal Malaysian Navy serving to enhance mutual capabilities in ensuring maritime security and stability.

Participating U.S. assets include the U.S Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105), with an embarked MH-60R helicopter, and a P-8A maritime patrol and reconnaissance patrol aircraft, Personnel from U.S. 7th Fleet, Commander, Task Force (CTF) 71, 72, 73, 75, and 76, Command, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, and Marine Rotational Force – Southeast Asia from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Royal Malaysian Navy participating assets include the Kedah-class offshore patrol vessel, KD Terengganu (F 174), the Keris-class littoral mission ship KD Rencong (114), a Eurocopter AS 550 Fennec helicopter, an F/A-18D Hornet multi-role fighter, and two AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters.

As the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed DESRON in Southeast Asia, DESRON 7 serves as the primary tactical and operational commander of littoral combat ships rotationally deployed to Singapore. DESRON 7 also functions as the CTF-76 Sea Combat Commander and builds partnerships through training exercises and military-to-military engagements as the executing agent of Commander, Task Group CARAT.

U.S. 7th Fleet is the Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Source: United States Navy

Phoenix Express is a multinational maritime exercise sponsored by U.S. Africa Command and executed by Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet. It brings together North African, European, and U.S. maritime forces as part of a global network of navies to enhance cooperation and expertise in maritime security operations in the Southern Mediterranean Sea.

This year marks the 19^th iteration of Phoenix Express. The 10-day exercise is designed to improve regional cooperation as well as enhance maritime domain awareness, information-sharing practices, and tactical interdiction expertise, all of which bolster the collective capabilities of participating nations in countering sea-based illicit activity.

“The quality and level of skill the Phoenix Express participants bring to our collective maritime capabilities in the Southern Mediterranean Sea is unparalleled,” said Rear Admiral Jason Naidyhorski, Vice Commander, U.S. 6^th Fleet. “Year after year, nations throughout Europe and Africa return to this exercise to build on already strong partnerships, with a shared goal of reinforcing a safe and secure North Africa, and Mediterranean. The type of training we see here has evolved with each iteration, and this year is no exception.”

Phoenix Express demonstrates high-level capabilities, split between land-based and sea-based phases, and will feature the use of maritime operations centers and a multinational coordination center to enhance information-sharing practices among partners, as well as exercises in ship-boarding, and search and rescue drills. The individual events throughout the exercise will provide participating maritime forces the opportunity to work together, share information, and refine tactics, techniques, and procedures to promote maritime safety and security in the region.

“The foundational partnership and the exceptional bilateral cooperation between the United States and Tunisia, especially in the maritime realm, go back over 200 years. In recent years, Tunisia has led the way in fighting illicit maritime activities, and we are grateful for the opportunity to work side-by-side with Tunisia and other regional allies and partners in a variety of critical areas during this exercise,” said Joey Hood, U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia.

This year, the Commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet will be working alongside African partners to incorporate the use of unmanned systems to demonstrate their use in deterring and detecting illegal actives in African exclusive economic zones.    

Participating nations in Phoenix Express include Algeria, Belgium, Georgia, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Türkiye, Senegal, and the United States.

Phoenix Express is one of three regional maritime exercises led by U.S. Naval Forces Africa as part of a comprehensive strategy to provide collaborative opportunities to African forces and international partners to address maritime security concerns.

Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners to advance U.S. national interests, security and stability in Europe and Africa.

Source: United States Navy

Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Tanner Kernan, assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Reactor Auxiliary Division, acted swiftly to administer CPR to the child after witnessing her being pulled from the water, ensuring her recovery after only an overnight hospital stay.

The incident occurred at an apartment complex’s pool, where Kernan, a native of Coweta, Oklahoma, was spending an afternoon when he noticed a father suddenly dive into the pool with his clothes on to retrieve his daughter. Recognizing the urgency, Kernan observed the father struggling to perform CPR and, with his own emergency training as a volunteer firefighter, quickly intervened.

“I saw she was unresponsive, so I started CPR right away, focusing on chest compressions and ensuring her airway was clear,” Kernan recalled. “She regained consciousness briefly but went unresponsive again, so I repeated the CPR until she finally came to and started crying, which was a huge relief.”

Kernan’s response was all the more remarkable because he executed this life-saving action despite recovering from a broken foot sustained earlier in the year. Although he was still under medical restrictions, he immediately hopped on one foot to reach the girl, ignoring his own pain to prioritize her safety.

“Once she started crying, I knew she was going to be okay,” Kernan said. Crying is often a positive sign, especially in young children, as it indicates a return to consciousness and responsiveness. By the time emergency responders from the nearby Hampton Fire Department arrived, the child was expelling water from her lungs and regaining stability. She was later transported to the hospital as a precaution but was released the next morning with no lasting effects from the incident.

Kernan’s training as a volunteer firefighter was crucial to his response in the moment. Before joining the Navy in 2021, he obtained his certification in CPR and emergency response through his local fire academy.

“If you know CPR, don’t be afraid to use it,” Kernan advised. “It’s a skill that can make the difference between life and death. You never know when you’ll be in a position to save someone’s life, even if it’s a quiet day by the pool.”

The child’s family, residents of the same apartment complex where the pool is located, expressed profound gratitude for Kernan’s actions. They later reached out personally to thank him for his quick thinking and training, recognizing that his expertise saved their daughter’s life.

Kernan was awarded with the Navy Commendation Medal for his heroic actions by Capt. J. Patrick Thompson, commanding officer of Stennis, highlighting service that goes above and beyond a Sailor’s normal scope of duty.

This life-saving event has renewed Kernan’s commitment to a career in emergency medical services. Currently on contract with the Navy, he plans to begin EMT training soon, with hopes of advancing his qualifications as a paramedic. His long-term goal is to further his education and training, ultimately pursuing an advanced degree in emergency medicine.

“I’m grateful to have been in the right place at the right time,” Kernan said. “Even if I never received recognition, knowing I could help someone in need is all the reward I could ask for. I want to keep building on my skills and continue serving others in the best way I can.”