Kuwait Military Officials, US Ambassadors Visit Lincoln at Sea

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Wade T. Oberlin, USS Abraham Lincoln Public Affairs

USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, At Sea (NNS) -- Kuwaiti Air Force and U.S. Embassy officials met with USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9 leadership aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, May 9.

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Defence Director of Operations and Plans, Kuwaiti Air Force Maj. Gen. Abdulrazaq Al-Awadhi, and the Defense Attaché of Kuwait City, Brig. Gen. Rick B. Mattson, a U.S. Embassy senior defense official, joined several other Kuwaiti military officials to tour Lincoln and observe maritime security operations in the Arabian Gulf.

The visit was designed to strengthen military-to-military relations and to demonstrate U.S. commitment to long-term stability and security in the region.

From the ship's flag bridge and vulture's row, Kuwaiti military officials and cadets viewed fly-bys as Kuwaiti pilots rode in the backseats of two F/A-18F Super Hornets assigned to the Bounty Hunters of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 2. The guests also viewed an F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the Kestrels of VFA 137 in the ship's hangar bay.

Al-Awadhi said the visit would increase the cadets' understanding of the importance of Lincoln's mission in the region.

"Many of the cadets in this group have recently graduated," Al-Awadhi said. "We have been involved with exchange programs in the past, and this embark is to operate with friends in the area. It's also a great opportunity for the cadets to come out and see this ship."

Lincoln is currently deployed with Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9, which also includes embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, guided-missile cruiser Cape St. George (CG 71) and Destroyer Squadron 9, comprised of guided-missile destroyers USS Momsen (DDG 92) and USS Sterett (DDG 104). CSG 9 is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and combat flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Soldiers on the High Seas: Coordinating Ground Forces Aboard Abraham Lincoln

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Timothy D. Godbee, USS Abraham Lincoln Public Affairs

USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, At Sea (NNS) -- Throughout the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln's (CVN 72) deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility, Army personnel will be embarked to help coordinate Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 air support for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

These U.S. Army ground liaison officers (GLO), assigned to the 4th Battlefield Coordination Detachment (Det.), serve as communications links between soldiers and Marines on the ground in Afghanistan and the pilots of CVW 2.

GLOs use various networks such as the combined enterprise regional information exchange system and secret internet protocol router network phones to communicate with ground forces about planned missions and patrols. They also brief pilots prior to every sortie flown in support of OEF. Once the aircraft launch from the ship, the forces on the ground are in direct contact with the pilots in the air.

GLOs also help interpret jargon from the different branches of service and work to decipher it for other personnel.

"Different acronyms often mean different things for each service, and sometimes certain terms are used differently, too," said Sgt. 1st Class Richard Bishop. "We act almost as translators between the two when needed."

GLOs deploy for a year at a time and transfer from one carrier to the next whenever a different ship begins operations in support of OEF.

"We were on USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) before this, and we'll go to whatever ship relieves Lincoln afterward," said Army Capt. Asher Ballew. "GLOs have been known to be out to sea for up to 120 consecutive days, sometimes more, without a port call. We have to pack light and be ready to move when and where we're needed."

Ballew said working side by side with Sailors aboard a carrier is a rare but exciting experience.

"There's a statistic that only about .01 percent of soldiers will ever serve on a naval warship," Ballew said. "It's pretty cool to be part of such a small statistic."

Lincoln and embarked CVW 2 are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions as part of OEF.

Lincoln is the flagship for Carrier Strike Group 9, which also includes the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71) and Destroyer Squadron 9, comprised of guided-missile destroyers USS Momsen (DDG 92) and USS Sterett (DDG 104).

Momsen and Bunker Hill Disrupt Pirate Attack

From COMUSNAVCENT Public Affairs

ARABIAN SEA (NNS) -- USS Momsen (DDG 92) and USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) disrupted a pirate attack on Panamanian flagged merchant vessel Duqm, Feb. 2 in the Gulf of Oman.

While transiting in international waters, the merchant vessel reported that pirates were attempting to board the vessel. Momsen and Bunker Hill, which were in the vicinity, immediately responded to the Duqm's distress signal and caused two pirates skiffs alongside the vessel with ladders against its hull to flee the area.

Momsen and Bunker Hill tracked the skiffs movement and located the mothership that facilitated the attempted boarding of Duqm, towing the two empty skiffs. Consistent with the U.N. Security Council Resolutions on piracy and U.S. rules of engagement, Momsen destroyed the two skiffs to prevent their use for future attacks.

Momsen and Bunker Hill are deployed supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th fleet area of operations.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/cusnc/.

This article was sponsored by Military Books.