USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) & Carrier Strike Group 7

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Comment by Kevin Foster on May 22, 2011 at 4:19pm

I used to worry about my son but after eleven years in the Navy I've finally realized that he's not only an adult, he's an officer in the United States Navy.

Comment by TxFritz on May 22, 2011 at 8:36am

Howdy

  My daughter joined the Reagan last week. She is a nuke and has spent 2 1/2 years in a combination of training and hold time. This is her first deployment and I can tell by her emails that she is having a tough go of it. She is normally a very warm and outgoing girl that I expected to be on a first name basis with half the ship by now. However she has way to much time to email Dad. Do not get me wrong I love hearing from her but if she has that much time to talk to me she must be miserable. She does not have a sponsor, something about nukes doing their own thing, but I do not think this is a good thing. From what I have seen of her friends during training she is not your stereotypical nuke, up to and including that tattoo on her back that says "kiss my country a__". I am torn between being a loving Dad and going through support groups and finding someone for her to buddy up with and being accused of meddling, and being a strong Dad and letting her work it all out for herself. HELP!!! Any advise on this would be welcome. I was in the army but I did not have to deal with deployment so it is hard for me to truly empathize with her

Comment by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on April 20, 2011 at 5:32am

Secretary of the Navy Visits Ronald Reagan, Praises Crew

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Josh Cassatt, USS Ronald Reagan Public Affairs

SASEBO, Japan (NNS) -- Aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) welcomed the 75th Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) April 20, who thanked the crew for their efforts during Operation Tomodachi.

SECNAV Ray Mabus expressed his gratitude to the crew during an all-hands call in the hangar bay, praising them for their efforts in providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) following a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck Japan March 11.

"I made a special trip here to thank you all for what you do and to tell you how much pride you have brought, not only to the Navy or to the Reagan strike group, but to the United States of America," Mabus said.

The ships of Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group (CSG) were the first on the scene in Japan, and began providing HA/DR support immediately after arriving March 13.

Mabus said the hard work and quick response by the CSG greatly helped Japan, and showed the adaptability of changing the strike group mission to meet the challenges of HA/DR.

"Using the same people, the same platform, the same equipment and the same training, you went from doing high-end combat training to doing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief overnight," Mabus said. "The way you have taken the training to do completely different things and instead of precision strikes you're using it to do precision humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; nobody else can do that."

During his visit, Mabus met with Ronald Reagan and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 14 leadership and was briefed on the CSG's HA/DR operations and greeted Sailors and Marines throughout the ship.

Ronald Reagan departed from its homeport in San Diego Feb. 2, for a training exercise and deployment to the 7th Fleet area of responsibility. Ronald Regan's last deployment to 7th Fleet was in 2009.

For more news from USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and the Ronald Reagan Strike Group, visit http://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/cvn76 or visit the Official USS Ronald Reagan Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ussronaldreagan.
> For more news from USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) - Ronald Reagan Strike Group, visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn76/.

For more news from Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/c7f/.

Comment by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on April 14, 2011 at 8:40am

DESRON 7 Changes Command

By By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Josh Cassatt, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Public Affairs

PHILIPPINE SEA (NNS) -- Capt. James Morgan assumed command of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7 in a change of command ceremony on board the guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88) April 12.

Morgan relieved Capt. Peter M. Driscoll Jr., who had served as commodore of DESRON 7 since July 2009.

In his farewell remarks Driscoll, whose next assignment is at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, acknowledged the hard work and dedication of those under his command.

"To the men and women of Preble, Benfold, Decatur, Gary, Howard and Thach, you are the best and brightest our country has to offer," Driscoll said. "I am awed at what you are able to accomplish and I have been privileged to watch you work. I am incredibly proud to have served with you."

Morgan takes command of DESRON 7 following his previous assignment as its deputy commander, a position he has held since June 2010.

"I know I have big shoes to follow in," Morgan said. "I will do my best to carry on the high standards of excellence in planning, execution and warfighting Capt. Driscoll brought to the strike group and DESRON."

A DESRON 7 commander serves as the administrative commander or immediate superior in command (ISIC) of the ships assigned to the squadron. Each one of those ships is equipped to operate in a high-density, multi-threat environment either independently or as an integral member of a carrier strike group (CSG) or expeditionary strike group (ESG).

DESRON 7 is assigned to the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) CSG 7, currently deployed to the U.S. Seventh Fleet area of responsibility.

Commander, CSG 7, and guest speaker, Rear Adm. Robert Girrier presented Driscoll with the Legion of Merit medal, and offered remarks about the opportunities ahead for Morgan and DESRON 7.

"You have a unique and trusted responsibility ahead of you, not only to prepare and lead our forces forward, but also to teach, guide and develop those you command," Girrier said. "Good commodores inspire good commanding officers to do the right thing on a daily basis — to dig deep, to know their ships, know their equipment, know their people and know their job."

DESRON 7 has been embarked aboard the Ronald Reagan to serve as the sea combat commander for the Ronald Reagan CSG since May 2004. As sea combat commander, DESRON 7 is responsible to the CSG commander for the overall planning and execution of maritime operations, including surface and subsurface warfare, maritime security operations, mine warfare, and force protection.

The ships of DESRON 7 include guided-missile destroyers USS Preble, USS Benfold (DDG 65), USS Decatur (DDG 73), and USS Howard (DDG 83), and guided-missile frigates USS Gary (FFG 51) and USS Thach (FFG 43).

For more news from USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and the Ronald Reagan Strike Group, visit http://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/cvn76 or visit the Official USS Ronald Reagan Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ussronaldreagan.
>
For more news from USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) - Ronald Reagan Strike Group, visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn76/.

Comment by Mike Scutt on April 1, 2011 at 4:32pm

Great. That will perk them up!

Comment by Kevin Foster on April 1, 2011 at 4:30pm

Yup. My boy got his too.

Comment by Mike Scutt on March 31, 2011 at 8:34pm

Thanks to everyone who commented on the mail issue. After 6 weeks the boy finally got the packages we sent him. thanks Admiral Myers

Comment by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on March 31, 2011 at 6:20pm

OP Tomodachi Update for CNAP Families 30 March 2011, 1800-1900 CNAF Auditorium

by U.S. Naval Air Forces on Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 3:26pm

 Wednesday night VADM Myers, Commander Naval Air Forces, held his third meeting with Reagan Strike Group and other units' family members with respect to Operation Tomodachi. Medical and other technical staff experts were on hand along with other senior commanders to answer questions.

The admiral explained that while he's not in charge of operations in Japan, he wanted family members to know that what our Navy team is doing there is making a difference and that the safety of our personnel underscores every mission we conduct.

Updated information:

<span>Maturing command and control</span> - PACOM has activated Joint Support Force (JSF) to support the government of Japan's request for humanitarian assistance led by ADM Walsh and part of the broader U.S. "whole-of-government" approach to support Japan's requests for assistance.

• Follow their facebook page ('Joint Support Force) for frequent updates.

<span>Ongoing Relief Efforts</span>:

• Currently, 17 ships, 132 aircraft and almost 14,000 personnel are participating in Operation Tomodachi, more than 250 tons of relief supplies have been delivered.
• USS ESSEX Amphibious Ready Group is on station - along with JSDF brought utility truck, relief supplies and provided residents of Oshima, an island off the coast of Kessennuma, with first full day of power in 16 days!
• All known groups of isolated persons are now being serviced from Japanese and U.S. forces ashore.
• Focus has shifted to harbor clearance and consolidation of remaining relief supplies ahore in Misawa and Sendai for distribution from those points. Sendai airport has reopened for military flights.

                     This is good news as the operation stabilizes - relief is flowing where needed.

                     Our Sailors have made a critical difference to our Japanese friends and we're doing it safely!

                     Reagan also recieved 55,000 lbs of mail Tuesday

• USNS Safeguard (ARS 50) and USS Tortuga (LSD 46), and Navy Divers are helping clear ports at Hachinohe, Miyako and Oshima to resume regular port operations.

                     Navy assets are playing a crucial role in clearance operations, using side scan sonar to survey 2 million

                     square meters of waterway and remove obstacles.

                     Examples: vehicles, small buildings, containers, 100-ton concrete blocks that washed away from pilings at

                     port of Hachinohe, Japan.

• CODs/Helicopters continue to move relief supplies; fixed wing aircraft from Reagan and VP-4 in Misawa are conducting reconnaissance flights to identify debris in the water that could be hazardous to navigation.
• Two Navy barges, each containing 500,000 gallons of fresh water, have moved from Yokosuka to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. In the next day or so Japanese authorities will begin using fresh water to replace the salt water currently in the reactors. This will lessen the corrosive impact of salt from the sea water still being used for emergency cooling.
• GW continues to conduct maintenance work while they are underway. They are doing an amazing job to sustain the ship's long-term readiness.

<span>Safety focus and continued monitoring for contamination:</span>

• All ships participating in Operation Tomodachi, including USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), conduct continuous surveys and clean contaminated spots as they are detected.
• As we've previously described - we monitor vigilantly for exposure.

          We continue to document exposure, still at low levels, external only

          Decontaminate as needed - wash with soap and water

          Also we continue to test water, air samples - no adverse indications for our Sailors and Marines - they are safe

• Our ships are well-equipped and we have the right preventative measures in place.
• Our ships are operating well outside the hazard area; aircrews will continue to deliver relief supplies and also provide reconnaissance of the affected areas as well as debris at sea that poses a hazard to navigation.

<span>What does this mean for their deployment schedules?</span> We don't talk schedule specifics this far out, but it's still early enough in the deployment - we are watching that very closely, but this remains a very important mission.

VADM Myers exclaimed how incredibly proud he is of the work that our team is doing in Japan. Our presence - your Sailors and Marines are making a profound difference every day and that goes a long way toward demonstrating the sincerity of our partnership with Japan in this critical region.

VADM Myers is tentatively planning to provide another update Wednesday, 6 April at 6pm in the CNAF Auditorium. Exact details will be confirmed early next week. Please keep in touch with your command ombudsmen and follow the ship's and JSF's updates on facebook.

Summary of Questions:

1. What impact will this mission have on port visits scheduled for April? Leadership is currently reviewing the impact of Operation Tomodachi on the Ronald Reagan's port schedule. We will provide more information as the details are worked out.
2. What impact will this have on the USS Carl Vinson's deployment and homecoming date? Currently there are no changes anticipated for Carl Vinson's deployment, but it is too early to tell.
3. What is being done with respect to the contamination that cannot be washed away with soap and water, such as the ship's ventilation? Efforts are being taken to ensure that all portions of the ships and aircraft are being decontaminated to the lowest level possible. While there are some materials that may absorb contaminated particles, all of those areas are being cleaned to maintain below the limit. Some items that cannot be fully decontaminated are stored in secure areas away from personnel and will be properly disposed of when able. We are ensuring your Sailors are not exposed to items that are significantly above background radiation.
4. When will families that have been relocated from Japan be allowed to return to Japan? An exact timeline for re-deployment of families has not been established.

Comment by Crystal Mitchell on March 23, 2011 at 7:25pm

Well I heard from Justen today. He has completed his check out list. Not sure of where he will be on the list to leave but anxious for the next Step in his Naval Career.

Comment by Bobby G on March 23, 2011 at 7:12pm

That's great news. They have all worked so hard, they deserve some goodies from home.

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