Source: United States Navy
SECNAV Del Toro welcomes home from deployment the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64), May 19, and he awarded the crew a Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) for “outstanding performance against terrorist forces during their nearly eight-month deployment.”
Source: United States Navy
Secretary Del Toro presented the NUC to Carney’s crew when they returned to Naval Station Mayport, Fla., May 19, after being deployed for more than seven months to the U.S. Naval Forces Europe – Africa and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command areas of operation.
“Carney was deployed forward, deterring our adversaries, protecting our national interests, defending the rules-based international order, and promoting peace,” said Secretary Del Toro. “I, and all Americans, am immensely proud of these Carney Sailors. They represent the best of the Department of the Navy and indeed our Nation.”
The NUC is awarded to any ship, aircraft, or other unit of the Navy or Marine Corps that has distinguished itself by outstanding heroism in action against enemy forces and is the second highest unit award in the Department of the Navy, behind the Presidential Unit Citation.
Following the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel, USS Carney operated alongside the Gerald R. Ford and Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Groups in the Red Sea, defending commercial shipping lanes, innocent merchant mariners, and American, allied, and partner vessels against drone and missile attacks launched by the Iranian-aligned Houthis in Yemen.
In all, USS Carney conducted 51 engagements against Houthi weapons, including land attack cruise missiles, anti-ship ballistic missiles, and unmanned systems, and two defensive strikes that destroyed 20 targets.
Additionally, USS Carney, alongside USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), successfully engaged Iranian ballistic missiles fired at Israel on April 13 in a retaliatory strike.
While in Mayport, Secretary Del Toro also addressed families on the pier, thanking them for their support throughout USS Carney’s deployment.
“I recognize that their service is only possible through the support provided by the military families – the foundation of our Armed Forces,” said Secretary Del Toro. “Thank you, to all of you, for your unwavering support, love, and encouragement for your Carney Sailor and the Navy.”
During their deployment, USS Carney operated in the U.S. Fifth and Sixth Fleet Areas of Operations, and participated in military operations Spartan Shield, Cobalt Shield, Inherent Resolve, Poseidon Archer, and Pandora Throttle. As outlined in the NUC, Carney “protected vital global commerce through two strategic maritime chokepoints, defended key allies and partners, deterred aggression, and forged partnerships founded on trust and unity of effort against violations of international law. In self-defense, they destroyed many unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles, land attack cruise missiles, and small boats, and they provided crucial naval presence in the region at a pivotal moment in history.”
Read Secretary Del Toro’s full remarks online.
Read the full Navy Unit Commendation online.
Source: United States Navy
Carney deployed for 235 days to the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Gulf, providing deterrence and defense to U.S. Allies and partners. Carney was the first ship in the area to intercept land-attack cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) launched by Houthi forces toward Israel in October 2023.
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro welcomed the ship to Naval Station Mayport.
While independently deployed, Carney served as an air defense unit for strike group forces in the eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea and worked closely with Allies and partners during a variety of missions.
“I am incredibly proud of my team for their performance throughout this deployment,” said Cmdr. Jeremy Robertson, Carney’s commanding officer. “No matter the challenge, our crew was ready and demonstrated incredible professionalism, proficiency, and flexibility. Our missions required focus and grit, and the crew leaned on each other and took care of each other, as we will continue to do.”
U.S. President Joe Biden recognized Carney’s actions in the area, and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti welcomed the crew back to the United States, May 10, when the ship arrived in Norfolk, Virginia.
“I could not be more proud of what the Carney team has done since September,” said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti aboard Carney. “Called to action on the very first day that you entered the U.S. 5th Fleet, you conducted 51 engagements in 6 months. The last time our Navy directly engaged the enemy to the degree that you have was way back in World War II, and it was the USS Hugh Hadley (DD-774), with her engagement record of 23. You saved lives, ensured the free flow of commerce, and stood up for the rules-based international order and all the values that we hold dear. It has been eye-watering to watch, you are truly America’s Warfighting Navy in action.”
Carney intercepted ballistic missiles and UAVs while operating in the Gulf of Aden, all while conducting defensive strikes into Yemen.
“This deployment has really tested the connectedness and resiliency of the crew. I believe our culture of inclusion created trust that enabled us to lean on one another to get through this historic and arduous deployment,” said Chief Cryptologic Technician (Technical) Christopher Dunn. “We were able to fall back on the training we received throughout the training cycle and perform effectively and proficiently when called upon.”
In addition to providing ballistic missile and air defense in the Red Sea, Carney also answered a distress call.
On Jan. 26, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and struck the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker M/V Marlin Luanda. The ship issued a distress call and reported damage. Carney provided 600 gallons of Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF), helping to extinguish a fire in one of the ship’s cargo tanks. Carney’s assistance ultimately aided the ship’s survival with no lives lost.
“Looking back, I remember thinking this was just going to be another deployment; I never expected we would set records,” said Fire Controlman (AEGIS) 2nd Class Tyler Robinson. “Without hesitation we did what we were trained to do. It brings me immense pride to see the weapon systems I was trained to operate prevail and make Carney the most lethal ship in the Navy. The invaluable experience gained over the last seven months will be an incredible case study for many generations of future Sailors.”
U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The expanse comprises of 20 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.
NAVEUR-NAVAF, headquartered in Naples, Italy, operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.
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. For any inquiries, contact c2f_pao@us.navy.mil.
Source: United States Navy
Good evening, everyone! It is an honor to be with you all here at York County Community College in the beautiful Sanford, Maine, to celebrate the achievements of this year’s graduating class.
Senator Collins, ma’am, thank you for that kind introduction, and for your many years of support and partnership with the Department of the Navy through your work on the Senate Appropriations Committee, especially in your capacity as the Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Defense.
Since the founding of our Navy, Maine has played a crucial role in ensuring we are mission-ready.
From shipbuilding to hosting bases across the state, as well offering up its sons and daughters to serve our Nation in our naval services, our Sailors, Marines, civilians, and their families are proud to call Maine home.
I would also like to thank President Daigler, President Fischer, and the Maine Community College System Board of Trustees for providing me with the opportunity to share this special day with you.
Early in my tenure as the 78th Secretary of the Navy, I announced education as one of the cornerstones of our enduring priority to Build a Culture of Warfighting Excellence.
Our nation’s vast network of community colleges is vital to providing those educational opportunities to Americans from all walks of life, meeting them in the communities where they work and reside to deliver world-class instruction across dozens of concentrations that allow them to realize their career goals.
Thank you, gentlemen and trustees, for your leadership of YCCC and the Maine Community College System, as well as your efforts on initiatives such as the Maine Defense Industry Alliance, which is aimed at bolstering this region’s shipbuilding workforce.
I would also like to thank my fellow speakers this evening, Mike and Geoff Howe, for sharing their inspiring story of success, harnessing the American spirit of innovation and ingenuity—a spirit that no doubt lives inside each and every one of the graduates before us today—to create solutions to meet the needs of their customers and benefit communities across our Nation.
To the friends and families of the Class of 2024 who are here this evening to support their graduates as they celebrate this incredible career and life milestone, thank you.
Thank you for your presence, as well as the sacrifices you’ve made to get them to this point.
You are the community and network they rely on to realize their success, and this day is as much about you as it is about them.
Finally, to the graduates, congratulations! Today marks the culmination of years of study, defined by classroom work, long nights in the library, group projects, hands-on training, and balancing time between work, families, and education.
But today is not the end of your journey—it is the beginning.
From preparing for positions in healthcare to computer science, from business, accounting, and finance to criminal justice, you are now equipped with the degrees and certificates to take the next step in building the careers that will support you and your families for decades to come.
As you contemplate what the future holds for you—both personally and professionally—I would ask that you consider a life of public service in support of our nation, whether in or out of uniform.
As I mentioned earlier, Mainers have a proud and storied tradition of service, from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars to present day. You have fought and sacrificed for the ideals we hold sacred—life, liberty, freedom of choice, and the pursuit of happiness.
You have done so to preserve peace and advance prosperity around the globe. At this time, I would ask that our Veterans in the audience to stand and be recognized for their service.
These Veterans are your classmates, your teachers, your friends. They are a part of your community—a community they committed themselves to defending.
For me personally, I chose to serve for 26 years in uniform as a Surface Warfare Officer in the Navy because this nation took my family in when we had nowhere else to go as we fled Castro’s dictatorship in Cuba.
And I answered the call of our country again in 2021 when I assumed office as the Secretary of the Navy, and with it the responsibility for leading the nearly one million Sailors, Marines, and civilian employees of the Department of the Navy stationed around the globe, supported by a budget in excess of $255 billion.
The opportunities I have been afforded throughout my life, from undergraduate and graduate education to positions of increasing leadership, were all made possible because of my decision to serve our Nation, both as an officer and as a civilian.
And those same opportunities are available to all of you in this room.
Now, how you choose to serve is up to you, and there are no shortages of careers supporting our Navy and Marine Corps here in Maine.
To the south of where we are gathered here this evening is Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, where we have a need for civilian employees across skilled trades, engineering, security, health and safety, environmental protection, radiological monitoring, and child and youth programs.
To the north of us is Bath Ironworks, where General Dynamics builds the warships of our fleet, carrying on a proud tradition of New England shipbuilding.
And if you are looking for a change of scenery, we are proud to offer dozens of occupational specialties as a uniformed Sailor or Marine, providing you with the opportunity to serve in uniform as part of the world’s greatest Navy-Marine Corps team.
Service to our nation is more than just a job, it is an honorable and noble profession—one where you are a part of something greater than yourself, contributing to the advancement of our Nation, and indeed the world.
It is incumbent upon all of us that we consider how we can best lend our talents and, in the case of the graduates before us, their newly-developed skills, to build up our great nation for all Americans, and defend them against the threats and challenges of today.
To quote Colonel Joshua Chamberlain, who was a native Mainer, a professor at Bowdoin College, and a hero of Gettysburg during the Civil War, “The inspiration of a noble cause enables men and women to do things they did not dream themselves capable of before.”
YCCC graduates of the Class of 2024, I invite you all to join us in a noble cause, whether it be in uniform, as a Department of the Navy civilian, or working for a defense firm in the private sector that supports our Sailors, Marines, and their families.
You have the skills, the talents, and the leadership qualities we need to ensure our Navy and Marine Corps remain ready to defend our Nation, and we hope that you will join us when you feel called to do so.
Again, it is an honor to with you and your families tonight to mark this incredible achievement.
Congratulations again, and may God Bless you, your families, this school, and our Nation. Thank you.
Source: United States Navy
Secretary Del Toro also delivered keynote remarks at YCCC’s commencement ceremony, emphasizing the importance of education as a cornerstone of the Department of the Navy’s enduring priority to Build a Culture of Warfighting Excellence.
“Our nation’s vast network of community colleges is vital to providing educational opportunities to Americans from all walks of life, meeting them in the communities where they work and reside to deliver world-class instruction across dozens of concentrations that allow them to realize their career goals,” said Secretary Del Toro, who released the Naval Education Strategy, June 2023, which provides guidance to modernize naval education to meet our Nation’s security needs.
The CEMT at YCCC is an example of successful partnership between all levels of government, industry, and academia. YCCC leaders work closely with industry and government leaders to improve processes, develop curricula, and break down barriers for entry into the trades for graduates of their programs. YCCC partners with PNSY to conduct accelerated training programs for new and current employees to develop the skills necessary to improve professionally and personally.
In March, industry, academic, and government leaders announced the Maine Defense Industry Alliance (MDIA) on the campus of YCCC, a collaborative effort to address workforce needs of Maine’s defense industry. As part of MDIA, the Navy awarded a $3.5 million grant to expand the CEMT as part of efforts to reinvigorate the Submarine Industrial Base. The increased capacity will support 1,500 qualified individuals to meet the needs of Maine’s defense industry in welding, machining, additive, and electrical programs.
During his address, Secretary Del Toro thanked leadership at YCCC and the Maine Community College System for their efforts to bolster the region’s shipbuilding workforce. Bath Iron Works, Pratt and Whitney, and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard anticipate needing to fill 7,500 positions and upgrade the skills of almost 10,000 incumbent workers over the next five years to ensure their ability to support the nation’s defense. MDIA will bridge the gap between the public and private sectors, providing a streamlined talent development process tailored for Maine’s defense sector.
Secretary Del Toro also reiterated the importance of Maine to the Department of the Navy.
“Since the founding of our Navy, Maine has played a crucial role in ensuring we are mission-ready. From shipbuilding to hosting bases across the state, as well offering up its sons and daughters to serve our Nation in our naval services, our Sailors, Marines, civilians, and their families are proud to call Maine home,” said Secretary Del Toro.
He also encouraged graduates to consider answering the National Call to Maritime Service “in support of our nation, whether in or out of uniform.”
“Service to our nation is more than just a job, it is an honorable and noble profession – one where you are part of something greater than yourself, contributing to the advancement of our Nation, and indeed the world,” Secretary Del Toro said. “It is incumbent upon all of us to consider how we can best lend our talents, and, in the case of the graduates, their newly-developed skills, to build up our great Nation for all Americans, and defend against the threats and challenges of today.”
Launched during the inaugural Fleet Week Miami, May 6, the National Call to Maritime Service is an effort to recruit talented individuals to be part of a legacy of honor, courage, and commitment to the Nation.