Nimitz News

Dear Families & Friends,

We just finished our second full month of deployment and completed our first Middle East port visit after more than 57 consecutive days at sea. Your Sailors had a hard-earned and well-deserved break, and they continue to do a magnificent job out here. Their morale is high – in huge part due to the support you all continue to provide from the home front.

We arrived in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility May 8, and started flying missions in support of coalition forces on the ground participating in Operation Enduring Freedom May 11. For the next few months, we’ll be operating in and around the Arabian Gulf, supporting Operations Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Iraqi Freedom in Iraq, as well as conducting maritime operations.

You may also have seen Nimitz in the news when we made the transit through the Strait of Hormuz May 23. The world’s media were focused on the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) as we entered the Gulf accompanied by the ships of the John C. Stennis CSG and the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group. Nine ships and more than 17,000 Sailors and Marines arrived on station in what the media have called a “show of force” and what is the largest naval presence in the Gulf since 2003.

Once we arrived in the Gulf, we participated in an Expeditionary Strike Group exercise that included an undersea warfare exercise, flight operations and a mine exercise. The crew did an outstanding job, proving once more that they are well trained and prepare to execute any mission with which we may be tasked.

I also want to assure you that the transit and the exercises we have been participating in are not in response to any specific world events – the mission of Nimitz here in the 5th Fleet has been and continues to be to provide an environment of security and stability in the region.

It’s also been a great month here on Nimitz for good news. I had the honor of reading the names of 323 of your Sailors over the 1MC who got the news that they have been selected for promotion to Petty Officer Third Class, Second Class or First Class, and we also had 10 Chiefs promoted to Senior Chief Petty Officer on board the ship.

I’m so proud of each and every one of them – they have worked hard for their promotions. And, congratulations to all of you who had loved ones and friends promoted – they couldn’t be successful out here if you didn’t continue to provide them with love and support back there.

I understand that you all look forward to and enjoy the Family Video Teleconference (VTC) program. I want to tell you that the Combat Systems department has outdone themselves with this program on this deployment.

If you haven’t heard about it, the program allows your Sailors to talk to and to see you live via a satellite connection. During the 2005 deployment Nimitz conducted three VTCs. The response to the program, as you can imagine, was overwhelming and the heroes of Combat Systems stepped up to the challenge.

Beginning in May, there are Family VTCs scheduled every other week for four hours each time. This program is a complex evolution that requires the coordination and efforts of the Family Readiness Group (FRG) back home in San Diego, the ship and the Strike Group 11 staff. FCC (SW) Robin O’Connor is the overall coordinator for the program. He has developed the program from an idea into a full-fledged set of business rules, made arrangements with the San Diego Fleet and Family Service Center to utilize their VTC facilities and secured support from the Pacific Fleet site in Hawaii that bridges the connectivity from San Diego to Nimitz at sea.

Other Sailors who deserve BZs for their roles in this program include IT1 (SW/AW) Jared Hyde and IC1 (SW) David Wilson. They ensure that sufficient bandwidth is available for the VTC and coordinate with the crew members who are participating in the calls. Of note, IC1 Wilson’s wife, Heather, is the Co-President of the FRG and she organizes the raffles each month that select who will participate in the VTC program and ensure family members are on station for the event. And, from the CCSG-11 staff, IT1 (SW/AW) Jason Sabater makes certain that the War Room is available and configures the complex VTC system to allow for connectivity across the world. My hats off to this team for all they do for you, our friends and families, and your Sailors.

As we head into our third month – and the half-way point of the deployment - remember to stay in touch and take care of each other. I continue to be awestruck and impressed with the support you all provide to one another. Thank you to all the volunteers who keep the family support network alive. You all remain in our hearts and thoughts.