News - Page 89

Obangame Express 2021: Women in arms lead the way
March 31, 2021 — Their day begins like any other day. The sun barely breaks the horizon as they inspect their uniform, lace up their boots, and head to assigned posts in the early hours of the morning. As the sun beams down from the equatorial African sun, beads of sweat steadily begin to drip down their faces as they stand their watch. Unmoved by the rising heat, they reach into their pocket and pull out a rag to wipe the sweat off their brow. They remain focused and ready to meet the day’s objective: conquering the largest maritime exercise in West Africa. ... MORE

A Ghanaian Sailor assumes a watch position at the Ghana, Eastern Naval Command, during Exercise Obangame Express, March 21, 2021.

Reserve Sailors return to birthplace to support naval exercise, share origins of success
March 30, 2021 — Obangame Express (OE21) is an annual naval interoperability exercise hosted by a rotating roster of West African nations in the Gulf of Guinea that was held in Accra, Ghana this year from March 14-27, 2021. This was the first multinational exercise of this magnitude on the African continent since the start of the global Covid-19 pandemic... MORE

Information Systems Technician 1st Class Samuel Ellis and Sailors in the Ghanaian Navy review a map in a maritime operation center during Exercise Obangame Express 2021, March 22, 2021.

U.S. Naval Forces Africa Completes Construction Projects on the Djiboutian Navy Base in the Port of Djibouti
March 30, 2021 — The U.S. Embassy Office of Security Cooperation (OSC), Djibouti, Combined Task Force Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) and U.S. Naval Facilities Command (NAVFAC) engineers completed the final walk-through of the U.S. Naval Forces Africa Exercise Related Construction (ERC) project on the Djiboutian Navy Base to create a Maritime Operations Center (MOC) conference room, construct a new restroom facility and increase water storage and distribution on the base. The team met with the Djiboutian Navy base commander, Colonel Ahmed Djama to inspect the new facilities and prepare the official turn-over documents for the project... MORE

Service members from Combined Task Force Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) Naval Facilities Command and the U.S. Embassy, Djibouti conduct final walk-though and turn-over of the newly constructed restroom facility, water storage system and maritime operations center conference room sponsored by U.S. Naval Forces Africa and constructed by the local Djiboutian contractor, TREMCO LLC. U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

USS Roosevelt (DDG80) Begins Second FDNF-E Patrol
March 29, 2021 — The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) departed Naval Station Rota, Spain, to begin its second Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol, March 29, 2021... MORE

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) returns to Naval Station Rota, Spain, after a scheduled underway, May 16, 2020. Roosevelt, named in honor of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor, is the first Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer stationed in Rota, providing the ability to deploy with two embarked Lamps MK III MH-60B Sea Hawk helicopters.

Exercise Obangame Express 2021 concludes
March 29, 2021 — Obangame Express 2021, the largest multinational maritime exercise in Western Africa, ended its 10th iteration with a celebratory closing ceremony in Accra, Ghana, March 27, 2021. ... MORE

Leadership from participating countries pose for a group photo following the closing ceremony of Exercise Obangame Express in Accra, Ghana, March 27, 2021.

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Hosts Visit for U.S. AFRICOM, Tunisian Defense and U.S. Sixth Fleet Leadership
March 27, 2021 — U.S. Army Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), U.S Sixth Fleet Commander, Vice Adm. Gene Black, Tunisian Ministry of Defense Chief of Cabinet, Abdelhak Khemiri, Tunisian Navy Chief of Staff, Rear Adm. Adel Jehane; and Tunisian Air Force Chief of Staff, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Hajem visited the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) aircraft carrier, to discuss joint efforts to enhance Tunisia’s maritime security, March 25, 2021... MORE

Gen. Stephen Townsend, Commander, United States Africa Command, observes flight operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), in the Mediterranean Sea, March 25, 2021.

U.S. and partner nations attend a virtual symposium during Exercise Obangame Express
March 27, 2021 — During the final week of Exercise Obangame Express, leaders from around the world participated in a four-day virtual Senior Leadership Symposium facilitated by the U.S. Naval War College, March 23-26, 2021... MORE

Rear Adm. Jeffrey S. Spivey, director, Maritime Partnership Program, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, Africa, U.S. Sixth Fleet, front third from the left, and Rear Adm. Issah Yakubu, Ghana Chief of Naval Staff, front center, pose for a photo at the Ghana Naval Headquarters in Accra, Ghana, during Exercise Obangame Express, March 25, 2021.

U.S. Navy USS Mount Whitney Donates COVID Supplies to host-city Gaeta, Italy
March 27, 2021 — On behalf of the crew of the Blue Ridge-class command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), Capt. David Pollard, commanding officer of Mount Whitney, presented critical medical equipment and supplies to a local hospital in Gaeta, Italy, assisting in the resupply of depleted stocks after heavy demand during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis... MORE

Capt. David Pollard, Commanding officer of the Blue Ridge-class command and control ship USS Mount Whitney, and Cosmo Mitrano, mayor of Gaeta, Italy, pose for a photo during a medical supplies donation to Gaeta, Italy on behalf of the USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) in Gaeta, March 26, 2021.

Sailors Attend a Maritime Security Conference During Exercise Obangame Express
March 25, 2021 — U.S. Navy Reservists attended a maritime security conference in PramPram, Ghana focused on the legal framework underlying the maritime security strategies developed for the Gulf of Guinea... MORE

Obangame Express 2021; U.S. Navy Reservists

USS Monterey Concludes Black Sea Operations
March 24, 2021 — The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) transited from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, concluding its recent Black Sea operations and its participation in the Romanian-led exercise Sea Shield 2021, March 24, 2021... MORE