Nimitz news 26 jul 2017

NIMITZNEWS EXCLUSIVE MALABAR ‘17 ISSUE

VOL. 8 | ISSUE 01 JULY 26, 2017

INSIDE:

SAILOR REUNITES WITH FAMILY IN INDIA

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CONTENTS Vol. 8 | Issue 01 3 Malabar ‘17 Opening Ceremony

Story by USS Nimitz Public Affairs

NIMITZ NEWS

Capt. Kevin Lenox Commanding Officer Cmdr. J.W. David Kurtz Executive Officer CMDCM Jimmy Hailey Command Master Chief

MEDIA DEPARTMENT Lt. Cmdr. Theresa Donnelly PAO Ens. Meagan Morrison DIVO MCCS Ahron Arendes Media DLCPO MCC Grant Probst Media LCPO MC1 Porter Anderson LPO MC1 Jose Hernandez Production LPO MCSN Emily Johnston Lead Designer MC2 Holly Herline Phojo WCS

6 Friends on the Seas, Foes on the Court Story by MC3 Kelsey J. Hockenberger

10 Sailor Reunites with Family in India Story by MC2 Elesia Patten

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MC1 Marcus Stanley MC2 Jessica Gray MC2 Austin Haist MC2 Erickson Magno MC2 Elesia Patten MC2 Ian Zagrocki MC3 Chad Anderson MC3 Kenneth Blair MC3 Colby Comery MC3 Marc Cuenca MC3 Deanna Gonzales MC3 Ian Kinkead MC3 Weston Mohr MC3 Liana Nichols MC3 Cole Schroeder MC3 Leon Wong MC3 Bethany Woolsey MCSN David Claypool MCSN Cody Deccio

MALABAR 2017 OPENING CEREMONY

The landing platform dock INS Jalashwa (LPD 41) hosted the opening ceremonies of exercise Malabar 2017 in Chennai, India, July 10.

Leaders from the U.S., Indian, and Japanese maritime forces gathered for the ceremony and a press conference. In attendance were the commanding officers of the three navies, more than 200 members of the Japanese and Indian media and hundreds of Jalashwa crew members.

Attendees watched multimedia video presentations that described past Malabar engagements and listened to the various leaders discuss the purpose of the exercise.

Malabar is an annual maritime exercise with the Indian Navy. The objective of Malabar 2017 is to improve interoperability between the U.S., Indian and Japanese maritime forces, provide an opportunity to conduct engagement with India and Japan, and demonstrate U.S. naval presence in the Indo-Asia Pacific region “It indicates a joint commitment to preserve good order at sea and address common maritime challenges across the spectrum of operations USS Nimitz Public Affairs

in the Indo-Asia Pacific region for the benefit of the global maritime community”, said Vice Admiral H. C. S. Bisht, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, India.

The exercise takes place in two parts. The in-port phase includes engagements with community organizations in Chennai, India designed to strengthen ties. The at-sea phase exercises the participating ships and aircrafts capabilities to harness high war fighting skills in the Bay of Bengal.

The in-port phase will also include subject matter expert and professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations; maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations; surface and anti-submarine warfare; helicopter operations; medical operations; damage control; explosive ordnance disposal (EOD); ship tours; and visit board search and seizure (VBSS) operations.

The at-sea phase will consist of training exercises involving surface warfare, air defense, gunnery, mine, communications, search and res-

MC3 Deanna C. Gonzales

cue, and VBSS exercises. There will also be professional exchanges and embarks; submarine familiarization; high-value unit defense; helicopter cross-deck evolutions; underway replenishments; and anti-submarine warfare exercises. These exchanges give crews an invaluable opportunity to learn from one another and share best practices.

U.S. participants in exercise Malabar include the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68); Carrier Air Wing 11; Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG 83), USS Pinckney (DDG 91), USS Shoup (DDG 86), and USS Kidd (DDG 100); the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59); a P-8A Poseidon aircraft, and a submarine.

“The strength of the Navy is important to us because the United States has interests in the Indian Ocean”, said Rear Adm. Bill Byrne, Commander, Nimitz Strike Group, “Our participation in Malabar 2017 and in past Malabar’s indicates our intense interests in maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific region”.

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68CUL

Nimitz Sailors participated in multiple commu India, including mural painting and competin

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LTURE

unity relations events while in port in Chennai, ng with locals in basketball and soccer games.

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FRIENDS ON THE SEAS, FOES ON THE COURT Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kelsey J. Hockenberger

Sailors assigned to Nimitz Carrier Strike Group participated in a community relations (COMREL) project at the YMCA College of Physical Education in Chennai, India, July 11 during Malabar 2017.

The COMREL brought together U.S. Navy Sailors and Indian youth to further diplomacy and highlight teamwork and leadership building among young athletes in India.

“It’s a real honor and privilege to be here at the YMCA College of Physical Education,” said Capt. Kevin Lenox, commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68).

“Let’s play some basketball!”

The COMREL consisted of a basketball game between the Sailors and the YMCA youth team.

“What a great day,” said Lt. JD Luckesen, from Orem, Utah, chaplain aboard USS Princeton (CG 59). “It was a friendly basketball game between Sailors and the young basketball players of India.

The awesome sportsmanship, energy and overall fun made it a memorable day for everyone involved.”

And a memorable day it was for Cryptologic Technician Technical 1st Class Ryan Wurth, from Beresford, S.D., who hoped for nothing more than extra time after the final buzzer sounded.

“I want a rematch,” said Wurth, smiling in defeat. “It was a good competition and

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a lot of fun. India has a great team. It brought back memories of when I played basketball in college.”

The basketball game is one of three COMRELS held during the shore phase of Malabar 2017.

Malabar 2017 is a trilateral, two-phase exercise hosted by the Indian navy and held in Chennai and the waters of the Bay of Bengal. It consists of shore and sea phases that emphasize high-end warfighting skills, maritime superiority and power projection through subject-matter expert and professional talks on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations; surface and antisubmarine warfare; medical operations; damage control; explosive ordnance disposal; helicopter operations; and visit, board, search and seizure operations.

The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group consists of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11 staff and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9. The deployed units from DESRON 9 include the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG 83), USS Shoup (DDG 86), USS Pinckney (DDG 91) and USS Kidd (DDG 100).

“

The

awesome

sportsmanship, energy and overall fun made it a memorable day for

�

everyone.

-Lt. JD Luckesen

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For one Sailor, Chennai was more than just a port visit.

MC2 Elesia Patten

MC1 Marcus Stanley

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A

s the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) anchored off the coast of Chennai, India ready to begin the harbor phase of exercise Malabar 2017, Sailors aboard the Navy’s oldest active aircraft carrier began making provisions to enjoy their first port call of the deployment.

Some Sailors booked hotels and tours, while others chose a more free-spirited approach to learning about the vast and rich Indian culture.

But for Logistics Specialist 1st Class Paramita Das, going to India meant more than just a port call, it meant returning to her native country and reuniting with her family.

“I was anxious to see my family and be back in my homeland,” said Das. “I hadn’t seen them in a while. My family is very proud of what I am doing and they look up to me.”

In 2009, Das, age 27 at the time, left India when she took a job transfer to work at IBM in America. One year after her arrival in the U.S., she received the unfortunate news that she and ninety-nine others were being laid off due to economic retention, thus ushering her into a career change as she and four of her friends decided to join the Navy.

“I was totally worried and scared,” said Das. “First of all, English was not my first language. Secondly, I had no idea of how the Navy works. Now, I feel great that I joined. I have achieved a lot in these years. I have gotten

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my Master’s degree since I’ve been in the Navy, and I’ve gotten the chance to travel the whole world too.”

Through the Navy’s continued presence and partnerships in the IndoAsia Pacific region, Das was now getting to experience something she hadn’t previously imagined.

“I have heard ships going to Mumbai Naval Base,” said Das, “but I never thought that Nimitz would go to India and I would live the news.”

“It was very emotional.

Everyone was crying. Those moments were the best.”

Now, Das was doing just that, living the news. Thanks to an annual trilateral twophase exercise between the Indian navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and U.S. Navy, Nimitz had come to India.

After about a 45-minute liberty boat ride to the shores of Chennai, luggage in tow, Das found herself traveling familiar territory in her homeland headed to meet her family.

The first thing on Das’s

agenda was to meet her uncle at a train station, and from there go reunite with her aunt and cousins.

“I was waiting at the train station for my uncle to come and pick me up,” said Das. “I was waiting, waiting, waiting.”

It had been six years since Das last seen her uncle, and as she waited in the train station, she had a hunch about the man standing directly in front of her.

“I was thinking, I think that’s my uncle,” said Das. “So, I said ‘boro mama,’ which means elder uncle. He was right in front of me, and he didn’t recognize me either.

He’d grown old.”

Basking in the joy of the revelation, Das and her uncle shared a warm embrace then headed off to reunite with the rest of the family - a reunion that would be just as surprising to Das. “I thought I wouldn’t cry, but I ended up crying,” said Das. “It was very emotional.

Everyone was crying. Those moments were the best.”

Now in the company of the aunt and uncle who raised her and the cousins she grew up with, what was once deemed unimaginable to Das was now real as ever.

Das, born in Calcutta, India, just a few hours south of Chennai, had traveled aboard a Navy warship across the breadth of the Pacific, through the Indian Ocean and reunited with her family in her homeland. The occasion couldn’t have been more joyous for Das. “I went back to India like

three years back, but to see my parents who are in Calcutta, not Chennai,” said Das. “So, I did not see my uncle and aunt who brought me up for seven years with my cousins. My cousins and I were raised by my uncle and aunt because my convent school was right by their house in Chennai. This time, I did get to see them and I am very happy.”

Over the years, Das never forgot her aunt’s cooking. In fact, she longed for it. So, it came as a great joy when her aunt began ushering in many dishes she had prepared.

“My aunt cooked a lot of Indian food for me,” said Das. “Like every hour or so she was bringing something for me.”

Das spent two days with her family catching up, reminiscing and enjoying being back in the presence of her loved ones.

“We just stayed home,” said Das. “We did a little shopping, but mostly stayed home doing what’s called adda, or chatting, over chai and snacks made by aunt.”

When it came time for Das to say goodbye, it wasn’t a somber occasion, more bittersweet. There were hugs, talk of next time and wellwishes.

“They didn’t cry,” said Das. “They knew that I had duty.

They said be happy with what you’re doing and tell us what you need.”

Returning to India was not only a joyous occasion for Das, it provided her the opportunity for her to

suggest activities and trips to Nimitz’s Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR). She also sent out emails to the crew suggesting what to do, eat and buy while in India.

“I actually helped the [fun boss] with some information on the tours,” said Das. “The tours that are planned for the port call are all the ones that I suggested.”

As the Nimitz raised its anchor to get underway signifying a conclusion to the harbor phase of Malabar 2017 and a commencement of the at-sea portion, Das was back aboard Nimitz, forever

grateful of the opportunity of having journeyed back to her native land.

“I love my motherland India with my whole heart,” said Das. “I also love my country, the USA, which has given me a family, a home, work, education and a lot more in such few years.”

Nimitz is currently deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. While in the region, the ship and strike group are conducting maritime security operations to reassure allies and partners, preserve freedom of navigation, and maintain the free flow of commerce.

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MALABAR CONCLUDES Story by MC3 Weston A. Mohr

Rear Adm. Bill Byrne, commander of Carrier Strike Group 11, and Capt. Kevin Lenox, commanding officer of USS Nimitz, pose for a photo with distinguished visitors DIG Bhisham Sharma, Indian coast guard, and Commandant Sharma Deepak, Indian navy, aboard Nimitz, July 16, 2017, in the Bay of Bengal as part of Exercise Malabar.

Photo by MC3 Ian Kinkead

Maritime forces from India, Japan, and the United States completed Exercise Malabar 2017, July 17, in the Bay of Bengal.

The exercise was designed to advance military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment.

Exercise Malabar began in 1992 and this year marks the 21st 12

rendition of the exercise. The objective of Malabar 2017 was to improve interoperability between the U.S., Indian and Japanese maritime forces, provide an opportunity to conduct engagements with India and Japan, and demonstrate U.S. naval presence in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

“Exercise Malabar is a great symbol of friendship between India, the

United States and Japan,” said Indian Navy Rear Adm. Biswajit Dasgupta, flag officer commanding Eastern Fleet. “Malabar is one of the main elements in our defense partnership, and it conveys a message that the three countries are willing to work together closely in the maritime arena.”

Events during the at-sea portion included professional exchanges and

embarks, a photo exercise, submarine familiarization, defense exercises; medical evacuation drills, surface warfare exercises, communications exercises, search and rescue exercises, helicopter cross-deck evolutions, underway replenishments gunnery exercises and anti-submarine warfare.

“Exercise Malabar ensures that we can operate with our partners in this region of the world as seamlessly as possible,” said U.S. Navy Capt.

Robert Westendorff, commander, Carrier Air Wing 11. “The main way it improves our capabilities is that we can all operate together.”

Westendorff said that practicing operations as a cohesive unit will help with understanding common terms between the maritime forces in case they have to work together in the future.

“What it says to the world is that we operate as a coalition with friendly nations across the world in a partnership building relationship so that if any contingency operation should arise in this region, the United States Navy can operate freely with our partners, working as one unit and one team,” said Westendorff.

Participants in Malabar from the U.S. Navy included the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, which consists of USS Nimitz (CVN68), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, CSG11 staff and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9. The deployed units from DESRON 9 include the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG 83), USS Shoup (DDG 86), USS Pinckney (DDG 91) and USS Kidd (DDG 100).

The U.S. Navy has patrolled the Indo-Asia Pacific routinely for more than 70 years promoting regional peace and security.

Photo by MC3 Colby S. Comery

Photo by MC3 Leon Wong

“Malabar is one of the main elements in our defense partnership, and it conveys a message that the three countries are willing to work together closely in the maritime arena.”

-Indian Navy Rear Adm. Biswajit Dasgupta

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