Lakewood High School student receives Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) Scholarship

ByChiefPettyOfficer

MatthewWheeler

Navy Talent Acquisition Group Rocky Mountain LAKEWOOD, Colorado Marissa

“Nael” Karpinski, 17, of Lakewood, Colorado a senior attending Lakewood High School, was awarded the Naval Reserve Office Training Corps (NROTC) Scholar- ship in the amount of $200,000 during a ceremonyheldattheschool.Presentingthe awardwereNavyTalentAcquisitionGroup (NTAG)RockyMountain’sEnlistedProductionOfficerLt VashthaiWallace,PettyOfficerFirstClassShelbiLoweandPettyOfficer Second Class Tyler Kerbs Karpinski will attend Cornell University in New York this fall with a major in economics “Right now, what I want to be in the Navy is a Surface Warfare Officer,” said Karpinski The Navy offers several scholarship programs to help payforschoolsoapersoncanfocusontheir studies without worrying about finances beforestartingadebt-freecareerintheNavy as a Commissioned Officer. For more informationontheNROTCprogram,visitwww navy.mil. Navy Talent Acquisition Group

Rocky Mountain encompasses the states of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and parts of Idaho, Nebraska, and Kansas, providing Navy Recruiting services from more than 30dispersedoffices (U.S Navy photo by Matthew Wheeler, NTAG Rocky Mountain Public Affairs/ Released)

MV-22 Osprey,assigned to Marine MediumTiltrotor(VMM) 362 (Rein.),13th Marine ExpeditionaryUnit, returns to amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8),during a ship-to-shore operation ofBalikatan 23,April 12,2023 in the Subic BayHarbor Balikatan is an annual exercise between theArmed Forces ofthe Philippines and U.S.militarydesigned to strengthen bilateral interoperability,capabilities,trust,and cooperation built overdecades shared experiences The Makin IslandAmphibious

Makin Island ARG conducts Balikatan with the Armed Forces of the Philippines

KendraHelmbrecht

USS Makin Island (LHD 8)

PHILIPPINES The Makin Island

Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) with the embarked 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) andtheArmedForcesofthePhilippines (AFP) completed Exercise Balikatan 2023 (BK23), April 28 with a closing ceremonyinCampAguinaldo,Philippines

U.S.andPhilippinerelationshipsarebased onstronghistoricalandculturallinkagesand a shared commitment to democracy and humanrights Balikatanpresentedanopportunity for personnel from the AFP and the MakinIslandARGcomprisedofUSSMakin Island (LHD 8), USS Anchorage (LPD 23) and USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26), to work togethertoaddresschallengesrelatedtothe Mutual Defense Treaty, counter-terrorism threats, humanitarian assistance and disasterresponse

The 1951 U.S. Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty provides a strong foundation for the U.S. and Philippine’s present-day partnership.Thisalliancefacilitatesanopen,interconnected,resilient,andsecureIndo-Pacific region.

“BK23 interactions enabled the opportunity to increase our ability to work shoulder-to-shoulder through bilateral training, supportinglocalpopulations,and improving collective capabilities and interoperability.” said Capt. Doug Langenberg, commanding officer of John P Murtha.

“Together we are devoted to regional peace and prosperity of theIndo-Pacific.

Makin Island participated in Combined Joint Logistics

Over the Shore, in which heavy supplies and equipment were loaded onto landing craft, air cushions and transported to the beach. A temporary bilateral, multifunctioningteamwasestablished on shore to transfer fuel to andfromships stageandoperate heavy equipment, and conduct vehicle convoys The ability to executeamphibiousoffloadoperationsensurestheAFPandU.S.militaryare readytorespondtocrisisandcontingencies atshortnotice Anchorage’sSailors,andMarinesassigned to1stReconnaissance,13thMEU,conducted a Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) exercise on expeditionary mobile base USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) VBSS provides a variety of scenario injects that require situational analysis, communication, and bilateraldecisionmaking Thisexerciseprovided unparalleled opportunities to demonstrate thestrengthandreadinessoftheU.S.-Philippinesecurityalliance.

The Makin Island ARG participated in a groupsailalongsideMiguelKeith,andPhilippine navy ships BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PS 15), and BRP Tarlac(FF601)intheSouthChinaSea.This eventenhancesourforces’communication, techniques and procedures across a wide range of operations while assuring a high

Degreeofinteroperability

Makin Island and AFP conducted a sink exercise which consisted of AFP staging a floating target with the goal of capsizing it. MakinIslandlaunchedtheir6F-35BLightning IIs—fifth generation strike fighters assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron(VMFA)122,13thMEU—andemployed 4 GPS guided munitions onto the target, successfullycapsizingit.

ForthefinalphaseofBalikatan23,Makin Island conducted a simulated amphibious raid at Brooke’s Point, offloading U.S. Marines to conduct live fire training, and bilaterallong-rangefiresinacoastaldefense training scenario Field training exercises create valuable training opportunities for both partners to develop proficiency in coastal defense concepts, as well as build camaraderie and respect among service membersateverylevel.

The Makin Island ARG, is operating in theU.S.7thFleetareaofoperationswiththe embarked 13th MEU to enhance interoperabilitywithAlliesandpartnersandserveas a ready-response force to defend peace and maintainstabilityintheIndo-Pacificregion 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

TINKERAIRFORCE BASE,Oklahoma (April 27 2023) Cmdr KirbyWilliam,Commander FleetAirReconnaissance (VQ) 4 is pinnedwith his command at sea byhis mother during a change of command ceremony.Cmdr.Williams relieved Cmdr Brooke H.Desrochers as commanding officer,April 27 2023.FleetAirReconnaissance (VQ) 4 is attached to Strategic CommunicationsWing (SCW) 1,a subordinate comand ofCommander NavalAirForce,U.S.Pacific Fleet ensuring National Securitythrough deterrence ofadversarial nuclearambitions.

Fleet Air Reconnaissance (VQ) 4 holds a change of command

ByPettyOfficer1stClass

JamicaJohnson

Strategic Communications Wing One

TINKERAIRFORCEBASE,Okla. Fleet Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 4 held a change of command ceremony at Tinker AFB,April27 Cmdr Kirby Williams, relieved Cmdr Brooke Desrochers, as commander of the E-6BMercurysquadron,becomingthe53th commandingofficer GuestspeakerretiredNavyCapt Cedrick L.JessupofferedwordsofwisdomtoCmdr WilliamsandpraisedCmdr Desrochersfor

$41.3M

ByJeffreyHamlin

her leadership during her tenure at VQ-4 Healsothankedthecrewandtheirfamilies fortheircontinuedsacrificeandloyaldevotiontoduty.

“Skipper, you are hands-down the finest officer I had the pleasure of serving with, headded“Thankyouforyourdedicationto theShadowsandthemission.”

Before relinquishing command, Desrochers recognized the Shadows for theirhardworkanddedication,shethanked her family for their support and devotion, andimpartedfinalwordsofencouragement to her predecessor Following her remarks, Capt. Majoris, commander, Strategic

Communications Wing (SCW) 1 presented Desrochers with the Meritorious Service Medal,forherendoftour.

DuringhernavalserviceDesrocherswon theAldenC.MarkeyAwardastopstudentof her fight class, she accumulated more than 2,400 flight hours in the E-6B, has served in every unit within TACAMO, and joins a legacy as the fourth female skipper within theorganization.

After orders were read and salutes rendered, Williams officially assumed the title and responsibilities as VQ-4’s commanding officer As his first order he charged the Shadows to continue to stand the watch and carry out Task Group 114.2’s mission,todeterU.S.nuclearadversaries. “ThelegacyofTuskegeecancontinueand thrive within me as long as I apply myself, thebatonisinmyhandsnowandI’mgoing torunwithit.

ShadowsLeadtheWay.

Fleet Air Reconnaissance (VQ) 4 is attached to Strategic Communications Wing (SCW) 1, a subordinate command of Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, ensuring National Security through thedeterrenceofadversarialnuclearambitions