USS Ashland Embarks Marines for Patrol

 Marines with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 practice landing the MV-22B Osprey and taking off from the USS Ashland (LSD 48), during Cobra Gold 16 test flights at Utapao, Thailand. The MV-22B Osprey is a joint service multirole combat aircraft that is capable of moving troops or cargo at a high speed rate. Cobra Gold is designed to improve the quality of life and building on the commitment to bettering the Indo-Asia-Pacific. Marines are with VMM-262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jessica N. Etheridge/Released)

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kelsey L. Adams, Commander Amphibious Squadron 11 Public Affairs

SOUTH CHINA SEA (NNS) -- Sailors aboard amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) embarked the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Jan. 28-29 for a patrol of the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations.

 During the onload, Ashland Sailors worked alongside the Marines to load vehicles and equipment necessary to conduct amphibious operations and participate in multinational exercises throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

 "Ashland is at its highest readiness to embark Marines," said Lt. Kyle Reckler, first lieutenant aboard Ashland. "The splash and recovery of the amphibious assault vessels (AAV) was a great example of positive flexing from both the Navy and Marine Corps to load the AAVs in a safe and efficient manner."

 While Ashland Sailors have been preparing for this patrol for the past few months aboard the ship, the 31st MEU has been busy training for the upcoming exercises on the shore.

 "The 31st MEU does a good job of making sure we understand our mission set and capabilities," said 1st Lt. Andrew Powell, the team embarkation officer for the 31st MEU. "When we are preparing for what we could possibly do across the range of military operations. The MEU conveys the message and gives realistic training to make sure we are mission ready."

 The blue-green team is currently en route to participate in exercise Cobra Gold (CG) 2016.

 CG is a Thai-U.S. co-sponsored joint exercise designed to advance regional security by exercising a robust multinational force from nations sharing common goals and security commitments in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

 Ashland is one of three ships that comprise the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group and is scheduled to meet up with amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) at a later date.

South Florida Welcomes Service Members for Fleet Week Port Everglades 2009

For my good friends in south Florida, another monitoring opportunity is available with the annual Fleet Week. To RW and all, hope you have some success and please pass along any news from this event.

The amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) enters port on opening day of the annual Fleet Week Port Everglades celebration. (U.S. Navy photo by Scott Lehr/Released)

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Joseph R. Wax, Navy Public Affairs Support Element-East

PORT EVERGLADES, Fla. (NNS) -- More than 1,000 Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen aboard multiple ships arrived at Port Everglades, Fla., April 27 for Fleet Week 2009.

The crews of USS Ashland (LSD 48), USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), USS Toledo (SSN 769), USCGC Tahoma (WMEC 908), and the Canadian Navy HMCS Preserver (AOR 510), as well as Sailors from Naval Beach Group 2 and Marines from the 2nd Marine Division, will take part in fleet week festivities from April 27 to May 2.

An opening reception was held for all hands at the Seminole Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood, Fla.

"Fleet Week South Florida has become a tradition that the entire community gets involved with," said Joe Millsaps, the chairman of Broward Navy Days. "South Florida is famous for being a military friendly community. Fleet week gives them the opportunity to express their gratitude."

Hard Rock treated the service members to food and drinks while the Navy Region Southeast rock band, Pride, entertained the crowd.

"The ceremony was great," said Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Joey Gonzalez, a member of the Fleet Week Port Everglades security team. "It made me feel really welcome to be here."

While in port for fleet week, the Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen will take part in a damage control Olympics, celebrity chef luncheon, blood drive, community relations projects, as well as visit local hospitals and schools.

U.S. 6th Fleet's Southeast Africa Task Force Arrives in Madagascar

By Gillian Brigham, U.S. Naval Forces Europe Public Affairs



ANTSIRANANA, Madagascar (NNS) -- The dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) pulled into Antsiranana, a small port city on the northern tip of Madagascar, Tuesday, April 15.

Antsiranana is Ashland's third stop on her current deployment with U.S. 6th Fleet's Southeast Africa Task Force, promoting maritime safety and security in the region. The ship recently visited the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and Reunion.

Notably, this is only the second time a U.S. Navy ship has visited Madagascar since 1972. USS Normandy (CG 60) also called on the country last year during its assignment to the Southeast Africa Task Force.

While Ashland is docked in Antsiranana, the ship will host Malagasy Sailors for a day of shipboard drills and information exchanges. The embarked U.S. Naval Forces Europe brass quintet will play a number of concerts in conjunction with the Malagasy navy band and commander of the Southeast Africa Task Force, Capt. Nicholas H. Holman, will meet with government and military officials to discuss on-going initiatives to build maritime capabilities in the region.

"The goal is to assist African nations so that they can better police their own territorial waters," said Holman. "We want to equip them with the knowledge and the tools to crack down on crimes like unlawful fishing, piracy, drug trafficking and other illegal behavior that destabilizes the maritime environment, the economy and, ultimately, the security of the region."

Ashland Sailors are also benefiting from the ship's mission to bring a greater awareness of the maritime environment to other navies in the Indian Ocean.

"This deployment has been a wonderful opportunity for my Sailors to see a part of the world not many people in the U.S. Navy have visited before," said Ashland Commanding Officer Cmdr. Jeff Ward. "It's also gratifying for the crew to play such an active role in forging partnerships with these nations.

"Whether we're running damage control drills with Malagasy Sailors or giving tours of the ship to foreign military officials, we are ultimately laying the groundwork for the strong maritime relationships the U.S. Navy hopes to build in this region. It's an invaluable experience and one that I'm sure will make an impact on them personally and professionally," he added.

This is the second deployment of CTF-363's Southeast Africa Task Force. In 2007, CTF-363-assigned assets USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) and USS Normandy (CG 60) visited eight Southeast African nations. For many of these countries, it was the first time a U.S. Navy ship had visited in more than 40 years.