Category: United States Navy

Source: United States Navy

The training included U.S. Navy’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 5 flagship USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54), Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 138, and the JMSDF destroyer JS Teruzuki (DD 116), with the focus on building interoperability and strengthening relationships in support of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.

“My crew valued this opportunity to work with our allies and integrate as part of the strike group,” said Capt. Warren Smith, commanding officer of Antietam. “Being able to conduct numerous events together and build this relationship will serve us well for future at-sea engagements.”

“We have achieved improving tactical capabilities of element and interoperability through this high-end bilateral exercise with the U.S. Carrier Strike Group,” said Cmdr. Takashi Sato, commanding officer, JS Teruzuki. “In such a way, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and U.S. Navy cooperate closely and sail together in the several seas, we are maintaining and strengthening our cooperative action capability.”

The U.S.-Japan bilateral training focused on a gunnery exercise, electronic warfare exercise, helicopter deck landing qualifications, formation sailing, communication drills, and replenishments at-sea. The events allowed for the U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense force to exercise together towards common maritime goals.

“These professional interactions between our strike group and the JMSDF continue from our multiple, regular engagements ashore that focus on the planning and sharing of knowledge to benefit both countries and the region,” said Rear Adm. Michael Donnelly, Commander, Task Force 70/CSG 5. “Our Sailors across the force greatly benefit from our interactions with our JMSDF allies-both personally and professionally. As professional mariners and allies, these coordinated and integrated efforts ensure that we are effective at coming together to confront our shared maritime challenges and helps continue our like-minded objective to secure a future of peace and stability.”

The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet is the largest forward-deployed fleet and routinely operates and interacts with 35 maritime nations while conducting missions to preserve and protect critical regional partnerships.

Source: United States Navy

Nandranie “Nan” Busjit-Bhalai, a licensed clinical social worker, licensed in Florida, provided non-medical individual counseling sessions, therapy, psychoeducational and support groups, workshops and training to the crew.

Members of the Command Resiliency Team (CRT) on Mobile Bay coordinated a visit with Nan to provide the ship an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the services of a licensed clinician and demystify the range of holistic resources she offers for Sailors. Abraham Lincoln also has two licensed psychologists aboard, allowing Mobile Bay Sailors and the other ships in the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to access needed care.

“Usually the small boats will send a Sailor in distress to the carrier temporarily to receive mental health services,” Nan said. “We all agreed it was a great idea to have me come here, where I can provide services to as many Sailors as possible and give those who were unsure about receiving services an up close look at the process to promote use.”

In the workshops she provided, Nan covered a wide variety of topics, including stress management and coping strategies, anger management, mindfulness, mental fitness, healthy relationships, effective communication, leadership coaching and managing grief and loss. She also held focus groups for single Sailors and parents to help address both shipboard concerns and challenges that arise at home.

“Something very important to provide Sailors on a platform where they don’t always have access to a licensed clinician are the tools to help themselves,” Nan said. “I was particularly adamant about ensuring I was able to train on a holistic approach to stress and depression in the hopes of empowering Sailors by demystifying these often-misrepresented topics.”

Nan was granted Navy Tier 3 credentials, a requirement to practice mental health services onboard Navy vessels as well as at shore-based facilities. As a DRC, she is trained to provide trauma therapy for clients who have experienced sexual assault, administer cognitive-behavioral therapy for personnel displaying suicide ideation, and give advice and counsel on command mental health matters and promotion of wellness.

The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability through alliances and partnerships while serving as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Source: United States Navy

The ceremony was held on the ship’s flight deck, with Capt. Greg Baker, commodore of Amphibious Squadron 11, presiding.

Highlights from Tate’s time on Ashland included major exercises and operations such as Noble Tempest (NT) 21 and Balikatan (BK) 22, as well as bilateral cooperative deployments with the Japan Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, and the Royal Palau Navy. During the ceremony, Tate was also commissioned a Kentucky Colonel, the highest honor bestowed by the governor of Kentucky for noteworthy achievements in the service of the state.

In preparation for BK22, Ashland visited Subic Bay, Philippines, for the first time in Ashland’s history, further enhancing relations between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. Navy. Upon completion, Tate led Ashland on a four-week transit through the South China Sea and surrounding operating area to Darwin, Australia.

“I have loved every day being here with all of you, both as XO and especially in command. Even the hard days had their value,” said Tate, addressing the ship’s crew. “This ship and all of you have been my second family and because you are an extension of my family I will miss you more than you know. I am confident Ashland is poised to shock the fleet as we always do, not by merely limping across the finish line, but rather by sailing confidently home in the best material condition we’ve been in, in years.”

Sonnenberg previously served as the ship’s executive officer since February 2021.

“Ashland has a phenomenal spirit of self-sufficiency that’s both the hallmark of her crew and the prime mover behind her reputation as an amphibious work horse,” said Sonnenberg. “I’m excited to empower the crew to keep Ashland ready to answer all tasking! It’s up to this crew to prove to the Navy that Ashland continues to provide significant life and value to the fleet, from now until at least 2038!”

Sonnenberg received his commission in 2004 from the University of Arizona Navy ROTC program in Tucson, Arizona. He has served at sea aboard USS New York (LPD 21), USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54), USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) and USS Shiloh (CG 67). He attended Surface Mine Warfare Development Center’s inaugural Amphibious Warfare Tactics Instructor (WTI) course, becoming one of the first amphibious warfare WTIs.

Tate will continue his commission as the chief staff officer to Commander, Amphibious Squadron 8.

Ashland, part of the America Amphibious Ready Group, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Source: United States Navy

Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8) fired three AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles to strike a land-based target several nautical miles away as part of the LCS surface-to-surface mission module (SSMM).

“This test proved the critical next step in increasing lethality of the Littoral Combat Ship,” said Cmdr. Dustin Lonero, Montgomery’s commanding officer. “Using our speed and shallow draft, we are now uniquely optimized to bring this level of firepower extremely close to shore in support of our warfighters and operators on the beach.”

The Longbow Hellfire missile already plays a key role in the up-gunned surface warfare mission package. Originally fielded by both variants of the littoral combat ship in 2019, the missile has repeatedly demonstrated the capability quickly defeat multiple swarming Fast Attack Craft/Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FAC/FIAC). Each LCS is capable carrying twenty-four missiles.

“The SSMM is a fundamental cornerstone of LCS lethality and evolving capability to provide enhanced fire support in the littorals and over the horizon in support of the Navy and Marine Corps fighting force,” said Lt. Michael Jones, a warfare tactics instructors from Surface and Mine Warfare Development Center. “The new ability for LCS to conduct maritime strikes bolsters the ships role in conducting shaping operations within amphibious and expeditionary warfare areas.”

The Longbow Hellfire missile was commissioned in 1998, and has proven successful over its years of service across all U.S. military branches. Originally designed as an anti-tank weapon for the U.S. Army, its all-weather millimeter-wave sensing, semi-active laser guidance continues to prove extremely effective in the maritime domain against all manner of threats.

“If you take a proven program of record and adapt its capability for the maritime warfare environment, you have a win for the taxpayer, improved interoperability between various services, and an increased lethality and competitive edge at sea,” said Chief Gunner’s Mate David Wynne, Montgomery’s weapons chief petty officer.

Combining emerging technologies, an MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter, from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23, remained airborne providing advanced targeting and bomb hit assessment capability. The Fire Scout already provides littoral combat ships an over the horizon intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting capability.

The LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. The LCS is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence.

Source: United States Navy

PENSACOLA, Fla. – MilGears supports service members in every phase of their journey, from recruitment through transition—and beyond.

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Initially built to support primarily Navy users, the MilGears suite of tools has been expanded and scaled for use by all Services and is a DOD enterprise wide platform. With this latest expansion, functionality has been added to support service records from each military branch. This new release includes an updated look and feel as well as new functionality to expand the platform to all military services.

Enlisted personnel from any service can utilize MilGears to get customized career and educational pathways based on their service and experience.

The MilGears suite of tools consists of four major career tools.  These tools are Engage My Career, Quick Explorer, Military-2-Mariner, and Cyber IT/CSWF (Cyber Information technology/Cybersecurity Workforce).

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 The Cyber IT/CSWF tool to compares your experience, training, education, and credentials, to specific Defense Cyber Workforce Framework (DCWF) work role requirements, highlight any existing skill gaps, or connect to a classification that may increase your marketability within the cyber industry.

With the expansion of MilGears suite of tools to a DOD enterprise wide platform, service members from all military branches can optimize their careers and prepare for the future by using customized tools to find credentials and build their military record and skills. This optimization continues through the service member’s lifecycle continuum including the three phase of in-service professionalization, transition communication and translation of military experience and education, and finally, as a veteran, by identifying in-demand employment opportunities that match your unique skills, experience and training.

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MilGears is a Platform Suite of Tools through Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) as part of MyNavy HR Force Development, which ensures that Sailors are equipped with the specific skills they need to do their jobs and have access to professional growth opportunities to enhance their careers.

NETC, as the largest shore command in the U.S. Navy, recruits, trains, and delivers those who serve our nation, taking them from street-to-fleet by transforming civilians into highly skilled, operational, and combat ready warfighters.