Nimitz Carrier Strike Group returns to San Diego from deployment

ByUSSNimitz(CVN68)

SAN DIEGO Ships from the Nimitz CarrierStrikeGroup(NimitzCSG)returned to San Diego June 28 concluding a sevenmonthdeploymenttoU.S.3rdand7thFleet areasofoperations(AO)

SailorsassignedtoTiconderoga-classguided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), ArleighBurke-classguided-missiledestroyer USSDecatur(DDG73)andtheembarkedair wingofCarrierAirWing(CVW)17returned home with the arrival of USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in San Diego Nimitz will depart San Diego for its return to homeport in Bremerton,Washingtonatalaterdate.

Hawaii-based ships attached to Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missiledestroyersUSSChung-Hoon (DDG 93) and USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108), returned to homeport on June 20 and 27,respectively “For seven months the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group demonstrated our ironclad commitment to partners and allies in the Indo-Pacificregion, saidRearAdm.Jennifer Couture, commander, CSG-11. “During this deployment, Sailors of every rank and rate displayed a vigorous work ethic and a humbledevotiontodutyandIwanttothank them and their families for their sacrifice I amhumbledtoservealongsidedetermined professionalsandobservetheirexcellenceat every level. Our strike group returns home stronger, smarter, and more resilient than everbefore.

While in the U.S. 7th Fleet AO, CSG-11 conducted deterrence and presence operations; multinational exercises; integrated multi-domaintraining;long-rangemaritime strike exercises; anti-submarine warfare; informationwarfareoperations;airdefense operations; multiple ship navigation; and formationmaneuveringandrefueling-at-sea operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largestforward-deployednumberedfleet.

Nimitz executed six port calls Guam; Singapore; Busan, South Korea; Laem Shabang,Thailand;Sasebo JapanandPearl Harbor Hawaii and hosted two formal “Big Top” receptions in South Korea and Thailand.Theaircraftcarrieralsoembarked foreigndignitaries,militaryofficials,ambassadors, and international media, and operatedwiththejointforceandseveralnations, includingAustralia,Canada,France,Japan, the Philippines Republic of Korea and Singapore.Alongsidealliesandpartners the NimitzCSG’spresenceinU.S.7thFleetreinforcedtheUnitedStates’commitmenttofly, sailandoperatewhereverinternationallaw allowsinsupportofafreeandopenIndo-Pacificregion Nimitz theoldest-servingU.Scommissioned aircraft carrier in the world completed its 350,000th arrested aircraft landing on April 22 2023 while sailing in the South China Sea. The milestone was piloted in an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22 by Capt Craig Sicola, Nimitzcommandingofficer,andCmdr Luke Edwards, commanding officer of VFA 22. NimitzisthefirstactiveU.S.aircraftcarrier toreachthismilestone Nimitz’s embarked air wing consisted of the “Fighting Redcocks of Fighter Attack Squadron (VFA) 22, “Mighty Shrikes” of VFA-94, “Kestrels” of VFA-137, “Blue Diamonds” of VFA-146, “Sun Kings” of CarrierAirborneEarlyWarningSquadron (VAW) 116, “Cougars” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 139, “Battlecats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73 “Screamin’ Indians” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6 and “Providers of Fleet Logistic Support Squadron (VRC) 30

CVW-17, 4 squadrons return home after 7-month deployment

ByJessicaNilsson

NAS Lemoore

NAS LEMOORE, Calif Naval Air StationLemooreisexcitedtoannouncethe returnofCarrierAirWingSeventeen(CVW17) and Strike Fighter Squadrons VFA-22, VFA-94,VFA-137andVFA-146afteranearly 7-monthdeploymenttotheWesternPacific with USS Nimitz (CVN-68) Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11) The homecoming event is Tuesday and Wednesday June 27-28, 2023 and will feature both the aviators and the nearly 1,000 Sailors who keep the Navy fighterjetsintheair

CVW-17, nicknamed “Team Quicksand,” and the four squadrons that are attached to it have been away from their home base of NavalAirStationLemoore Calif sinceDec. 5,2022.Duringtheirdeployment,theyhave beenengagedbyU.S.SeventhFleettodefend U.S., Allied and partner interests in the U.S. NavalForcesIndo-Pacificareaofoperations

The Air Group that would come to be known as CVW-17 was created during WorldWarIIonApr.1,1944,inAtlanticCity.

CVW-17 is currently composed of VFA-22, VFA-94 VFA-137 and VFA-146 flying the F/A-18E/FSuperHornet;VAW-116flyingthe E-2CHawkeye;VAQ-139flyingtheE/A-18G GROWLER; HSC-6 flying the MH-60S Seahawk; and HSM-73 flying the MH-60R Seahawk.

Strike Fighter Squadron 22 (VFA-22), or the “Fighting Redcocks,” was originally commissioned as Fighter Squadron 63 at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va in July 1948 butwasre-designatedAttackSquadron22in July1959.VFA-22operatestheF/A-18Super Hornet, which is one of the Navy’s newest andmostlethalstrike-fighteraircraft.

Strike Fighter Squadron 94 (VFA-94), also known as the “Mighty Shrikes,” was commissionedin1952andnicknamedafter asmallcarnivorousbirdofpreythatimpales its victim on sharp thorns The Mighty Shrikes began flying the F4U Corsair, but nowoperatestheF/A-18SuperHornet.

StrikeFighterSquadron137(VFA-137),or the “Kestrels,” was established in 1985 and is named after the native North American Falcon. It, too, operates the F/A-18 Super Hornet. VFA-137 joined CVW-17 in the springof2019 Strike Fighter Squadron 146 (VFA-146), or the “Blue Diamonds,” was established in 1956.Thesquadron’soriginalnicknamewas the “Blacktails,” which was derived from its assigned color as the sixth squadron of the air group, but just a few years later, the squadronadopteditscurrentnicknamethe “BlueDiamonds.”VFA-146alsooperatesthe F/A-18E Super Hornet, which is one of the mostadvancedfighteraircraftintheworld. All four squadrons’ capabilities and versatility make them critical assets to the Navy’s mission, and their dedication and commitment to excellence continue to inspire and motivate future generations of naval aviators

Lt Thomas McGlynn,a medical entomologist at the NavyEntomologyCenterofExcellence (NECE),workswith commissioned and noncommissioned officers ofthe MalaysianArmed Forces (MAF) to setup a BG PRO mosquito trap inJohorBahru,Malaysia,February9,2023.Lt McGlynnwas sent on a temporaryadditional duty(TAD) in Singapore in support ofthe Naval Medical Research Unit 2 (NAMRU-2) to carryout mission critical research and global health engagement projects in the Indo-Pacific.(U.S.NAVYPHOTOBYLT NICHOLASJOHNSTON)

NECEentomologistaugmentswarfighter research across INDOPACOM

ByNavyandMarineCorpsForceHealth

Protection Command

Lt Thomas McGlynn, a medical entomologist with the Navy Entomology Center of Excellence (NECE), Jacksonville Florida, recently provided “entomological” support to the Navy Medical Research Unit TWO (NAMRU-2),Singapore,carryingoutmission critical research and global health engagementprojectsintheIndo-PacificfromJanuarytoMarch2023

Entomological support typically includes thestudyofinsectsandbugscommonlyfound in a particular region in order to prevent the spreadofinsect-bornedisease

McGlynn provided entomological expertiseinsupportofmultiplestudiesduringthis timeincluding:aprojectinMongoliasurveyingfordifficulttofindmosquitoesthattransmit malaria, examining new pesticides to treatservicememberuniforms,surveillance ofmelioidosis,adiseasecausedbyabacteria that can cause severe pneumonia in humans inAustraliaandinsecticideresistancestudies inVietnam.

NAMRU-2 was established during World War II in Guam to conduct applied research insupportofforcehealthprotectionandhas operatedintermittentlysince1955 Currently, NAMRU-2islocatedinSingaporeandactsas thecenterofahub-and-spokeresearchmodel inmultiplesoutheasternAsiancountriessuch as Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Mongolia, andLaos

In Malaysian Borneo the particular species of parasite that can cause malaria through mosquito transmission is becoming an emerging public health threat Typicalmalariatransmissionisfromoneinfected human to another human through the bite of a mosquito, but this species of parasite is transmitted by mosquito between non-hu- man primates in heavily forested areas Urbanization, climate change, and farming practices that encroach upon natural jungle habitats provide increased opportunities for thisspeciesofparasitetobetransmittedfrom monkeystohumansviamosquito.

Tobetterunderstandthethreatofmalaria transmissionintheregionfromthisparticular parasite, McGlynn worked with the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) to coordinate the trainingof29officersandnoncommissioned officers in entomological surveillance techniquesandidentificationofmalariaparasites in human blood. These military personnel will now be able to train their respective unitswithintheMAFtoincreasetheirarmy’s capacity to survey for insect-borne diseases suchasmalaria

“This was an incredible experience for me, and I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity,”saidMcGlynn.“Theleadership andpersonnelatNAMRU-2werefantasticto workwith,conductingcuttingedgeresearch insupportofthewarfighter.”

Lt McGlynn was awarded his first Navy Achievement Medal (NAM) for his efforts andentomologicalsupportofthismission.

NECE is the Navy and Marine Corps Center of Excellence for operational entomologylocatedatNavalAirStationJacksonville, FL. NECE’s unique DoD mission is to develop and evaluate novel products, pesticides, and technologies to better protect deployed forces from vectors of disease NECE also provides operational medical entomology and pest management training to DOD military and civilian personnel and is the program manager for all Navy shipboard pest management. NECE plays a key role in supporting national strategic interests though engagement and exchange with foreignhealthandmilitarypartners

CMF counter-piracy Admiral meets European Task Force Commander aboard Italian Warship

ByNAVCENTPublicAffairs

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet

MANAMA Bahrain The commander of a Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) counter-piracy task force met with the commander for a European naval task force aboard an Italian warship that was pierside in Bahrain, June 23 RepublicofKoreaNavyRearAdm.KoSeungbum,commanderofCombinedTaskForce151, visited Italian Navy Rear Adm. Mauro Panebainco, commander of Task Force 474, aboard ItalianfrigateITSRizzo(F595)

The leaders discussed current maritime operations opportunities for regular information sharing and closer collaboration. They also received a briefing from Cmdr Valerio DI Giammatteo, Rizzo’s commanding officer, on theship’scapabilities TaskForce474istheoperationalarmofnaval coalitioncalledtheEuropeanMaritimeAwareness in the Strait of Hormuz The partnership, consisting of eight nations protects navigational rights of regional mariners in Middle Eastwaters

“I am grateful for the opportunity to learn more about Task Force 474 and ITS Rizzo’s capabilities in the maritime environment,” said Ko “As CMF has demonstrated, international cooperation and collaboration are vital to ensure that all maritime trade remains protected and unhindered from safe and free navigationinregionalwaters.”

As one of CMF’s five operational staffs Combined Task Force 151 focuses on counter-piracy missions in the Middle East. The multinationalteamincludesnearly30personnelfromadozencountry

Q: Whattypesoffamily housingareavailable?

A: There are three types of housing available to families:

Public/PrivateVenture(PPV)

Housing is also referred to as privatized housing in the Navy The Navy partnered with different private management companies to provide housing to Service Members. These companies are responsible forthe construction, renovation,maintenance and day-to-day management ofthe housing PPVhousing may be located on oroffgovernment property and in most cases will be formermilitary housing

GovernmentOwned (also known as Military Housing orNavy Managed Housing is what was formerly called on-base housing While only available in limited quantities CONUS,Government

Owned Housing is still widely available OCONUS.

CommunityHousing is any housing that a Service Member may choose that is not PPVor government operated This is housing outside ofthe base that is privately owned and operated

NAVY HOUSING Norfolk: 757.445.2832

JEBLCFS: 757.462.2792

Oceana/DamNeck: 757.433.3268 Yorktown: 757.847.7806

Mid-Atlantic Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSC) programs and services are designed to help you make the most of your military experience, and they’re all available to you at no cost.

FUNCTIONSAND/OR SERVICESFFSCPROVIDES:

ClinicalCounseling – Individual, Couplesand ChildCounseling

Personal Financial Management

Information & Referral

Family EmploymentAssistance

TransitionAssistance

FamilyAdvocacy Program

Deployment and Mobilization Support

Ombudsman Support

RelocationAssistance

Parenting Programs

Stress andAngerManagement

Command Support

Crisis Support

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SAPR Support