Welcome home to San Diego!


SAN DIEGO (May 22, 2009) Sailors aboard the mine countermeasures ship USS Devastator (MCM 6) wait to debark their ship after arriving at the ship's new homeport at Naval Base San Diego. Devastator arrived after participating in search efforts for a downed HH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter that went down May 19 off the coast of Southern California. Devastator is assigned to Commander, Mine Countermeasure Squadron and is shifting homeports from Ingleside, Texas as part of the Defense Base Realignment and Closure. U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Jennifer S. Kimball



SAN DIEGO (May 22, 2009) The mine countermeasures ship USS Champion (MCM 4) arrives at Naval Base San Diego after participating in search efforts for a downed HH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter that went down May 19 off the coast of Southern California. Champion is assigned to Commander, Mine Countermeasure Squadron and is shifting homeports from Ingleside, Texas to Naval Staion San Diego as part of the Defense Base Realignment and Closure. U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Jennifer S. Kimball

ANNAPOLIS, M.D. (May 22, 2009) Newly commissioned Navy ensigns and Marine Corps 2nd lieutenants from the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 2009 celebrate their graduation with the traditional hat toss at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. President Barack Obama delivered the commencement address to an audience of 27,000 family and friends. U.S. Navy photo by Gin Kai

Military triathletes compete at NBVC
The Admiral’s Cup and U.S. Armed Forces Triathlons at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) Point Mugu get underway at 8 a.m. this Saturday Both events are free and open to the public.
The 22nd Admirals Cup, a tradition at Point Mugu, kicks off the morning at 8 a.m. It's a sprint race comprised of a 400 meter swim, 12 mile bike ride and 3 mile run. This race is open for all military, civilian and the general public to enter.
Immediately following the Admiral’s Cup at 10:30 a.m. is the Armed Forces Triathlon. Approximately 120 world ranked male and female athletes from all the U.S. armed service branches including the Canadian Military triathlon team will compete against each other. NBVC is the permanent host of the annual event, which is being held for the tenth consecutive year at Point Mugu.
Athletes will compete in a 1,500 meter ocean swim, a 24.8 mile bike course and a 6.2 mile run course.

Boxer begins exercise in Gulf of Aden
GULF OF ADEN - The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) began an ARG/ Marine Expeditionary Unit Exercise (MEUEX) May 19, in the Gulf of Aden and ashore at Camp Lemonier in Djibouti.
The weeklong ARG/MEUEX is an amphibious ship-to-shore training evolution designed to enhance Navy and Marine Corps amphibious capabilities in unfamiliar terrain and involves the USS New Orleans (LPD 18), USS Comstock (LSD 45) and 13th MEU.
“It's extremely important for Marines and Sailors of a deployed ARG/MEU to conduct exercises while deployed,” said LtCol Tye R. Wallace, Commanding Officer, Battalion Landing Team 1/1. “In order to be the most ready force, we must constantly keep our combat skills at their peak.”
The exercise demonstrates the ability of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and 13th MEU to conduct both large-scale combat operations and humanitarian assistance anywhere in the world and will consist of tactical amphibious landings, bi-lateral training with the French Foreign Legion and tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP), as well as other events.

Ronald Reagan CSG deploys
USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 7 departed San Diego May 27 to begin a regularly scheduled Western Pacific deployment.
CSG 7 includes Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 14, Commander, Destroyer Squadron (COMDESRON) 7, USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), USS Decatur (DDG 73), USS Howard (DDG 83), USS Gridley (DDG 101) and USS Thach (FFG 43). A detachment from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 11 will also be embarked aboard the carrier.

Three more MCMs call San Diego home
SAN DIEGO - Three more mine countermeasure (MCM) ships, USS Champion (MCM 4), USS Devastator (MCM 6) and USS Pioneer (MCM 9) transited from Ingleside, Texas last week and arrived at Naval Base San Diego May 22.
The three ships are part of Commander, Mine Countermeasures Squadron (COMCMRON) Two. USS Warrior (MCM 10) and USS Chief (MCM 14) arrived in San Diego last month.
COMCMRON TWO is the MCM Class Squadron Commander for all AVENGER Class mine countermeasure ships and is relocating to San Diego in accordance with the Defense Base Relocation and Closure Commission’s (BRAC) directed closure of Naval Station Ingleside.

Keel laid for future USS Spruance
General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) laid the keel for the future USS Spruance (DDG 111) during a brief ceremony May 14 at the BIW shipyard in Bath, Maine.
The 900-ton keel unit represents the first “ultra” module to be fabricated in BIW’s Ultra Hall facility that opened last year. Ultra Hall stretches 1.5 acres and allows workers to complete construction, pre-outfitting and testing more efficiently and in a controlled climate. Ultra Hall has enabled BIW workers to complete installation of thousands of feet of cable, compartment air tests, water-tight door testing and pipe segment testing which are all normally completed in later stages of construction.
The keel module is the most pre-outfitted and tested at this stage in construction to date. These advancements will be used in future Arleigh Burke- (DDG 51) and Zumwalt- (DDG 1000) class ship construction, which will ultimately lower production costs.

Uniform changes announced
The chief of naval personnel released NAVADMIN 149-09 May 20 to announce the latest changes to Navy uniform policies including maternity uniforms andphysical fitness uniforms.
“Uniform policy changes are a direct result of fleet feedback to the uniform board,” said Rob Carroll, from the Navy’s Uniform Matters Office. “The input Sailors provide is critical to providing professional high quality uniforms.”
In answer to that fleet feedback, the Navy is developing a new element to the physical fitness uniform to replace or augment current Navy sweat pants and shirts. This fall, a competitive wear-test of two Navy designed PTU fitness suits will determine their suitability as mandatory uniform components. Fleet introduction is expected during fiscal year 2011.
Sailors E-1 to E6 who are pregnant, are temporarily authorized to wear the service khaki maternity blouse currently worn by chiefs and officers with the winter blue maternity slacks or skirt. This is an interim authorization until the improved single design maternity blouse for all ranks is introduced to the fleet in fiscal year 2010.

DoD, OPM announce Defense Business Board NSPS review
Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III and Director of the Office of Personnel Management John Berry asked the Defense Business Board recently to establish a task group to conduct a review of the National Security Personnel System.
“The task group should deliver recommendations aimed at helping the Department determine (1) if the underlying design principles and methodology for implementation are reflected in the program objectives; (2) whether the program objectives are being met; and (3) whether NSPS is operating in a fair, transparent and effective manner,” wrote Lynn in his instructions to the Defense Business Board.
The task group will seek public input over a series of opportunities to be announced at a later date and present its findings and draft recommendations to the Defense Business Board during a public meeting later this summer. The board will provide its final report to the secretary of defense and to the director, Office of Personnel Management, shortly thereafter.

GULF OF ADEN (May 24, 2009) Members of the visit, board, search, and seizure team transport Somali migrant children to the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) after being rescued from a disabled skiff. The skiff, originally ferrying 52 passengers, was spotted in distress by Lake Champlain helicopter pilots while patrolling the area. Lake Champlain is deployed as part of the Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group supporting maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Daniel Barker

Lake Champlain crew rescues mariners in distress
GULF OF ADEN - San Diego-based USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) responded to a vessel in distress in the Gulf of Aden May 23, rescuing 52 men women and children who had been adrift in a small skiff for approximately seven days.
The crew of Lake Champlain’s embarked SH-60B helicopter from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 45 detachment Four, conducting a routine flight in the Gulf of Aden, spotted the skiff and upon seeing the mariners in distress, notified Lake Champlain. The ship, operating approximately 30 miles away, proceeded at maximum speed to assist the skiff.
Upon arrival, Lake Champlain’s crew assessed the situation and began providing medical care to the mariners in distress. Seventeen personnel were immediately transferred to Lake Champlain and treated for severe dehydration and other critical medical issues. The remainder of the personnel initially remained aboard the skiff and were provided with food and water until they were later brought aboard Lake Champlain.