uarterdeck U.S. Navy remembers partnership during Tomodachi

FromCommander,NavalAirForces

director of force requirements, Commander, Naval Air Forces(CNAF),spoketoanaudienceofU.S. and Japanese military and civic leaders at the “Thank You from Fukushima” reception hosted by the Honorable Kenko Sone, Consul General of Japan at his official residenceinLosAngeles,Jan.17

TheeventservedtoexpressJapan’sgratitude for the support received from around the world following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that resulted in nearly 16,000 deaths. The reception also included remarks given by Sone, the Honorable Masao Uchibori, Governor of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, and retired U.S. Navy Capt. Thom Burke, a former commanding officer of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS RonaldReagan(CVN76).

“We received tremendous support from southern California, including assistance fromsouthernCaliforniarescueteamsfrom OperationTomodachiledbytheU.S.Forces stationedinJapan,anddonationsfromthousandsofCalifornians,”saidSone

At the time of the tsunami, the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, consisting of Ronald Reagan, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG62) ArleighBurke-classguided-missile destroyerUSSPreble(DDG88)andMilitary Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Bridge (T-AOE 10), was on a routine deployment in the Western Pacific Ocean The strike group arrived on the Japanese coastthenextday.

“Weknewweweregoingthereassoonas westartedseeingwhatwashappening,”said Burke.“Iturnedtheship.Wewentthere and wewereproudtodoit.

Officials from Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, extended their appreciation and commemorated the partnership between theU.S.andJapanduringOperationTomodachi “We the people of Fukushima Prefecture have been able to move positively towards revitalization, no matter how hard it has been for us,” said Uchibori. “Remembering the gratitude to all of you, we have, and will continue to further advance and strive for revitalizationonestepatatime.”

Graham, executive officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 4 embarked onRonaldReaganduringOperationTomodachi,reflectedonherpersonalexperience duringtheoperationandtheopportunityto honorthepartnershipbetweentheU.S.and Japan apartnershipthathascontinuedto strengthenformorethan70years

“Our combined Reagan Strike Group operations with the Japanese Self Defense ForcesinsupportofthepeopleofJapanwill foreverbeahighlightofmy30yearsofNaval

Sri Lanka and U.S. Militaries commence

FromU.S.7thFleetandDesron7 PublicAffairs

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps began exercise CooperationAfloatReadinessandTraining(CARAT)/ MarineExercise(MAREX)SriLanka2023with the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and Sri Lanka Air Force(SLAF)inColombo,Jan 19,2023.

CARAT/MAREX Sri Lanka is a joint, bilateral maritime exercise taking place ashore in Colombo and at the SLN bases in Trincomalee and Mullikullam. The sea phase will take place in the Laccadive Sea This year’s exercise includes participants fromtheJapanMaritimeSelf-DefenseForce and Maldives National Defence Force, and coincideswiththe75thanniversaryofdiplomaticrelationsandpartnershipbetweenthe UnitedStatesandSriLanka

The exercise commenced with an opening ceremony led by Deputy Chief of Staff / Director General Operations of SLN Rear Adm. Pradeep Rathnayake, and Capt. Sean Lewis, deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron(DESRON)7.

“CARAT/MAREX Sri Lanka is designed to exchange ideas as well as tactics,” said Lewis “We will practice interoperability and strengthen our interpersonal relationships bothatseaandinport.

Sri Lanka Navy offshore patrol vessels SLNS Gajabahu (P 626) and SLNS Vijayabahu(P627)willmeettheSanAntonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD 23), with embarked 13th Marine ExpeditionaryUnit(MEU),atsea Training will focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as well as air defense small boat operations and replenishment-at-sea approaches.

“Ibelieveeacheventperfectlyreflectsthe excellent collaboration between our forces andemphasizesourpartnershipinpromotingregionalsecurity,combiningknowledge, skill and understanding of goals, cultures andideals,”saidRathnayake

The shore phase trainings will consist of classroomsubjectmatterexpertexchanges (SMEE),practicaleducation,andaWomen, Peace and Security roundtable hosted by U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung Highlights will include a series of public performances and exchanges between bothcountry’snavybands,asportsday,and a series of community service activities, as well as SMEEs on issues like diving and underwater construction, medicalsupport, andmaritimedomainawareness

“For seventy-five years, Sri Lanka and the United States have worked together to preserve an international community in which diverse sovereign states can unite to work with each other while maintaining their own respective identities,” said Rear Adm. Derek Trinque, commander, Task Force (CTF) 76⁄3 “CARAT/MAREX Sri service, said Graham. “The teamwork and selfless actions of our Sailors in the face of both natural and nuclear disasters, with so muchuncertainty,epitomizedwhatitmeans toserveandmakeadifferenceintheworld. ThoseeffortsweremirroredbyourJapanese partnersandtheverypeoplewewerethere to support. Operation Tomodachi was an incredible example of the resilience of the human spirit and the true meaning of partnership anditwasanhonortorepresentthe contributionsofthemenandwomenofthe U.S.NavytothepeopleofFukushimaandthe greaterglobalcommunity.”

Operation Tomodachi was a U.S. Armed Forces humanitarian assistance operation involving 24 ships, 140 aircraft and more than 15,000 Sailors and Marines, supportingJapanin disasterreliefefforts following the2011Tohokuearthquakeandtsunami

CARAT/MAREX Sri Lanka

Lanka will help us move in unison toward achieving our shared goals of safety and prosperity.”

Additional participating U.S. assets include a P-8A Poseidon and personnel fromU.S.7thFleet,Commander,TaskForce (CTF) 72 CTF 73 CTF 76⁄3 DESRON 7, and AmphibiousSquadron7.

CARAT/MAREX Sri Lanka is a bilateral exercise between Sri Lanka and the United Statesdesignedtopromoteregionalsecurity cooperation,maintainandstrengthenmaritime partnerships, and enhance maritime

Interoperability

In its 28th year, the CARAT series is comprised of multinational exercises, designedtoenhanceU.S.andpartnernavies’ abilities to operate together in response to traditional and non-traditional maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

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