SUBIC BAY, Republic of the Philippines - Sailors assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) visited Sergia Soriano Esteban Integrated School of Kalaklan during a scheduled port visit Oct. 14. While at the school, 63 Essex Sailors played games, sang songs, delivered...

SUBIC BAY, Republic of the Philippines - The forward deployed Sailors of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) comprised of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and the amphibious transport dock USS Denver (LPD 9)...

BUSAN, Republic of Korea - The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82) arrived in Busan Oct. 11 for a scheduled port visit in conjunction with Eastern Endeavor 10, an international Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) exercise hosted by the Republic of Korea. While in...

HONG KONG - Sailors from the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67) and the Warlords of embarked Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 51, Detachment 4, arrived in Hong Kong for a port visit from Oct. 7 - 11. The visit will provide the more than 350 Sailors on board Shiloh a chance...

NORFOLK, Va. (Oct. 6, 2010) - Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and Commander U.S. Pacific Fleet today announced a realignment of the command structure for the respective fleets, enabling greater effectiveness and responsiveness to waterfront current and future readiness needs. The new structure...

USS ESSEX AT SEA - The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU), embarked aboard the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ESX ARG) is scheduled to hold a humanitarian assistance disaster relief (HADR) and non-evacuation operations (NEO) certification exercise in Okinawa, Japan Sept. 27 – Oct. 5. The...

RABAUL, Papua New Guinea - – Pacific Partnership 2010 came to a successful conclusion here on Sept. 13 after visiting six countries throughout Southeast Asia over a span of five months, strengthening relationships and improving disaster response skills while providing humanitarian and civic...

PEARL HARBOR - A U.S. Navy carrier strike group and amphibious ready group will join a forward-deployed U.S. Air Force air expeditionary wing and Marine Corps units for exercise Valiant Shield 2010. Valiant Shield, scheduled from Sept. 12 - 21 (Guam Time), begins in the vicinity of Palau and...

KOKOPO, Papua New Guinea - A rugby game between Kokopo high school students and a 21-person Pacific Partnership team took place Sep. 6 at the Kokopo Secondary School here as part of Pacific Partnership 2010. The community service project (COMSERV) rugby game was one of the ten scheduled COMSERV...

KOKOPO, Papua New Guinea - The U.S. Pacific Fleet Band performed in the Kokopo Public Market here Sept. 4 in support of Pacific Partnership 2010. Those present for the show included the U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, the Honorable Teddy Taylor; Chief of Staff for Pacific Command, Rear Adm...

RABAUL, Papua New Guinea - An opening ceremony in support of Pacific Partnership 2010 was held at the Malaguna Technical High School Sept. 3, kicking off the final mission port visit for the five-month long deployment that has visited six host nations since deploying May 1. “This opening ceremony...

SANTA RITA, Guam - More than 50 Sailors from Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron (MSRON) 7 Security Division 71 and U.S. Naval Hospital Guam (NHG) arrived at U.S. Naval Base Guam aboard USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) Aug. 30, after successfully completing their mission as part of the international...

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii - – Navy spouse Mrs. Michelle Blancas was honored with a free makeover gift package through the Honolulu Armed Services YMCA’s new Operation Makeover program at the annual Aloha Welcome Coffee event hosted by the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Officers’...

SOLOMON SEA - A contingent of Australian Defence Force and U.S. Pacific Partnership 2010 participants aboard HMAS Tobruk (L50) arrived in Port Moresby Aug. 31 on its way to Rabaul in East New Britain in support of Pacific Partnership 2010. Tobruk is now hosting the command element for the final...

ARAFURA SEA - A contingent of Australian Defence Force and U.S. Pacific Partnership 2010 participants aboard HMAS Tobruk (L50) are transiting to Papua New Guinea in support of Pacific Partnership 2010’s last mission stop. With USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) having completed its participation in Pacific...

DILI, Timor-Leste - Hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) concluded operations in Timor-Leste Aug. 24, marking the end of the ship’s participation in Pacific Partnership 2010. Mercy left San Diego on May 1 and will return its homeport of San Diego in late September. “It is hard to believe that just...

DILI, Timor-Leste - A young Timorese girl returned to the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) Aug. 17, two years after the successful removal of a brain tumor identified by a Pacific Partnership 2008 medical team. Before having the tumor removed, Natalia Dos Santos, a...

SANTA RITA, Guam - Patrol Squadron Nine (VP 9), which operates the P-3C Orion aircraft, assisted the U.S. Coast Guard during the largest annual multi-national maritime security surveillance operation in the Pacific Aug. 15-22. Operation Island Chief is a Quadrilateral Defense Group (QUAD)...

SANTA RITA, Guam - The Navy’s senior enlisted Sailor, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) (SS/SW) Rick D. West, visited Sailors stationed on Guam Aug. 19 and 20. West held an all-hands call where he answered questions Sailors had regarding new uniforms, manning, and mandatory enlisted...

DILI, Timor-Leste - Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Policies, and Requirements, Rear Adm. Thomas F. Carney visited several Pacific Partnership 2010 mission sites, including the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) Aug. 19. Carney toured Nu...