Egypt Turns Over Command of Multinational Red Sea Task Force

By NAVCENT Public Affairs

The Egyptian Navy turned over command of a multinational Red Sea task force to the U.S. Navy, June 12, six months after Egypt began leading the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) operational staff for the first time.

U.S. Navy Capt. Anthony Webber relieved Egyptian Navy Rear Adm. Mahmoud Abdelsattar as the commander of Combined Task Force (CTF) 153 during a ceremony in Bahrain where CMF his headquartered.

Established in April 2022, CTF 153 is one of five CMF task forces responsible for conducting maritime security and training operations across the Middle East. The multinational staff supporting CTF 153 specifically focuses on international maritime security efforts in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb and Gulf of Aden.

“It was a great honor to be the commander of CTF 153,” said Mahmoud. “For the last six months, we have worked closely with partner nations, maintained stability in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden, and proved once again that Egypt is committed to maintaining maritime security and enhancing our capabilities through trust, training and working together.”

Webber assumes command of CTF 153 while still serving as commander for Task Force 55, U.S. 5th Fleet’s operational staff overseeing U.S. Navy surface assets employed in the Middle East.

U.S., UK Navies Respond to Merchant Vessel Distress Call in Strait of Hormuz

By NAVCENT Public Affairs

United States and United Kingdom Royal Navy forces responded to a distress call from a merchant vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz, June 4, as Iranian fast-attack boats harassed the commercial ship.

The internationally flagged merchant vessel made a radio distress call at 4:56 p.m. local time while transiting the narrow strait. The civilian crew reported three fast-attack craft with armed personnel approached and followed the merchant vessel at close distance. The fast-attacked craft were assessed to be from the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.

U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS

McFaul (DDG 74) and UK Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster (F 229) both received the distress call, and Lancaster launched a helicopter to provide surveillance. U.S. 5th Fleet also directed a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to monitor the scene.

The situation deescalated approximately an hour later when the merchant vessel confirmed the fast-attack craft departed the scene. The merchant ship continued transiting the Strait of Hormuz without further incident.

U.S. 5th Fleet remains vigilant and is bolstering defense around the key strait with partners to enhance regional maritime security and stability.

“It takes all of us working together to make a winning team, and I have all the confidence in the world that we will do just that in carrying out our duties with honor and commitment,” Webber told the CTF 153 team. “Your achievements are vast and I am honored in having this remarkable opportunity to serve with you.”

With 38 nations, CMF is the largest naval partnership in the world. Other task forces include CTF 150, focused on maritime security in the Gulf of Oman, Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden; CTF 151, which leads regional anti-piracy efforts; CTF 152, dedicated to maritime security in the Arabian Gulf; and CTF 154, established in May to enhance maritime security training throughout the region.

439-4520 www.cnic.navy.mil/bahrain

Commanding Officer

Naval Support Activity Bahrain

Capt. William Lane

NSA Bahrain Executive Officer

Cmdr. Ernesto Rivera

Public Affairs Officer

Chief Editor

Lt. Nicolas Mahone

Deputy Public Affairs Officer

Mark C. Mosher

Mass Communication Specialist

1st Class Sean Gallagher

Host Nation Public Affairs Director

Ameera Al-Kooheji

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Some days in Bahrain the high heat is accented by gusting wind with prickly dust. Dust storms are not uncommon on the Arabian Peninsula, across the Sahara Desert and in the Southwest United States. They can be massive (over 1 mile high and 100 miles wide) and look ominous as a wall of dust sweeps the landscape, occludes the sunlight and swallows everything in its path. Years ago a large dust storm swept across downtown Phoenix just days before the 2011 MLB All-Star Game was scheduled at Chase Field. The white roof of the stadium-washed and sparkling days prior-was left visibly discolored and coated with a thick reminder of the formidable force of nature.

In the desert constant winds and occasional storms are always changing the landscape. A cubic mile of air can move 4,600 tons of dust and a severe storm can move 100 million tons (from www. allthescience.org). When moving air moves enough particles of sand to erode the desert floor to a level below the sea, an oasis is born. The water did not arrive by miracle or effort, it was previously present, under the surface. Once unearthed an oasis offers lifegiving and life-sustaining water for vegetation and passers-by.

On life’s journey external forces will move you around in ways and to places you cannot resist. When you must weather life’s storms you may find yourself changed. You may also discover that deep down there is tappable source of support that is both lifegiving and life-sustaining. Indwelling in each of us is an inherent strength, a will, a purpose, a calling, a connection and a drive. It leads us to fulfill our commitments, to be gritty and to be satisfied. To persevere and prevail, these are the aims and expectations of the spiritually ready and resilient.

Two months after the National League All-Star baseball team defeated the American League All-Star team 5-1 under the dusty brown roof at Chase Field, The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff dropped an instruction called the “Chairman’s Total Force Fitness Framework.” The document acknowledged the oft-repeated phrase that “the most valuable resource in our military is our people.” It continues, “To be fully prepared to continually execute our central mission—to fight and win the country’s wars—the approach to how we understand, assess, and maintain the fitness of the force needs to be adjusted” (CJCSI 3405.01, 2011). While of course we must remain physically fit, the Chairman cites other interrelated domains of fitness required for Service members to stay resilient and to flourish. To be deployable and to be ready to fight and win we also must be environmentally fit, medically and dentally fit, nutritionally fit, psychologically fit, behaviorally fit, socially fit, and spiritually fit.

During this PFA season be reminded that fitness and readiness applies to more domains than physical fitness/readiness alone. Develop good habits that promote social fitness (trustworthy and healthy connections), psychological fitness (healthy and effective coping), behavioral fitness (adjustment and positive behaviors), spiritual fitness (maintaining beliefs, principles, values and purpose and meaning) and all other domains of fitness. If you feel dry and need some help discovering your source of life-giving and lifesustaining “water,” speak to a chaplain who will champion your spiritual readiness and dig with you.

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In a city where fire, water, land, and air residents live together, a fiery young woman and a go-with-the-flow guy discover something elemental: how much they actually have in common. | Cast: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Catherine O'Hara, Wendi McLendon-Covey

Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse (PG) – 2h 20m

After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn's full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. However, when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders. He must soon redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most. | Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Shameik Moore, Oscar Isaac, Daniel Kaluuya

Flash (PG-13) – 2h 24m

Worlds collide when the Flash uses his superpowers to travel back in time to change the events of the past. However, when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, he becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation. With no other superheroes to turn to, the Flash looks to coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian -- albeit not the one he's looking for. | Cast: Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck, Sasha Calle

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (PG-13) – 2h 7m

Optimus Prime and the Autobots take on their biggest challenge yet. When a new threat capable of destroying the entire planet emerges, they must team up with a powerful faction of Transformers known as the Maximals to save Earth. | Cast: Anthony Ramos, Liza Koshy, Peter Cullen, Pete Davidson