Carl Vinson Returns to 3rd Fleet

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Byron C. Linder, USS Carl Vinson Public Affairs

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Sailors of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 returned to the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) May 11.

Vinson is currently transiting to her homeport in San Diego following a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East areas supporting maritime theater security operations in the U.S. 7th and 5th Fleets.

"The dedication demonstrated by every Sailor up and down the chain of command was the key factor in accomplishing every mission objective for our time in the 5th and 7th Fleets," said Vinson's Commanding Officer Capt. Kent D. Whalen. "With our return to 3rd Fleet, our focus may have changed but our mission-ready mindset continues."

Vinson serves as the flagship for Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, led by Rear Adm. T.K. Shannon, which also consists of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1 guided-missile destroyers USS Halsey (DDG 97), guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), and CVW-17.

CVW-17 encompasses the "Sunliners" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 81, the "Stingers" of VFA 113, the "Redcocks" of VFA 22, the "Fists of the Fleet" of VFA 25, the "Garudas" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 134, the "Tiger Tails" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125, the "Rawhides" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 and the "Red Lions" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 15.

In addition to supporting its primary mission throughout the deployment, Carl Vinson completed the following:

- From Jan. 9 to March 24, flew 1,085 Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) missions, totaling 6,600 total flight hours. This included close air support missions, support for coalition ground forces, airborne electronic warfare missions and airborne command and control missions.

- Deployed 7,283 pounds of ordnance and expended 1,717 rounds of 20mm ammunition in support of OEF.
Conducted exercises with coalition countries and other nations, including Singapore, Britain, India and Australia.

- Made port visits and conducted community service projects in Hong Kong, Jebel Ali, India, and Australia.

- Earned the 2011 Commander Naval Air Forces Battle Efficiency (Battle "E") award for West Coast-based aircraft carriers.

- Hosted former CBS Evening News anchor and 60 Minutes correspondent Dan Rather for a three-day visit as the subject of a segment for television news magazine Dan Rather Reports.

- Sailed over 53,200 nautical miles.

Third Fleet leads naval forces in the eastern Pacific from the west coast of North America to the international date line.

Navy Establishes Carrier Strike Group 1

An F/A-18E Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136 prepares to land on USS Carl Vinson's (CVN 70) flight deck during routine flight operations. Carl Vinson is underway conducting flight deck certification after the completion of its scheduled refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. The RCOH was an extensive yard period that all Nimitz-class aircraft carriers go through near the mid-point of their 50-year life cycle. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stephen Rowe/Released)

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The Navy formally established Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1 in San Diego October 1, 2009. The flagship for CSG 1 will be the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), currently homeported in Newport News, Va. Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1, USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) will round out the strike group.

Commanded by Rear Adm. Ted "Twig" Branch, CSG 1 will be a San Diego-based operational command and will report to Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet.

"We are excited by the opportunity to establish this new command and bring the power of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group online in support of our nation's defense," said Branch. "I'm also very happy to bring this capability, along with the men and women who make it possible, to the great city of San Diego."

Carrier Strike Group 1's first mission is expected to be a transit around South America in the spring of 2010 as Vinson relocates to its new homeport of San Diego.

In support of the nation's maritime strategy, CSG-1 will help promote regional partnerships, deter crisis, project power, promote maritime security, and provide humanitarian assistance or disaster relief within the U.S. Pacific Fleet's 100 million square-mile area of operations.

The Navy took redelivery of Vinson July 11, 2009, following the successful completion of the ship's midlife refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH).

USS Carl Vinson is the third Nimitz-class aircraft carrier to complete RCOH at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News and is undergoing a four-month post-refueling shipyard maintenance period to prepare for its transit to San Diego.

Milcom MP Picture of the Week

I love a good military picture and this is one of those I just can't pass up posting. So from time to time I hope to present a great picture here for my Milcom Blog readers. And if you have a great picture you would like to share (from an airshow, etc), you can contact me at the email address in the masthead.

Capt. Norbert "Smurf" Szarleta, commanding officer of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17, breaks the sound barrier in an F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighter during an air power demonstration aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) on 17April 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Yeoman Augustine Cooper (Released)