USS Farragut Concludes Mobile Port Visit

By Ensign George Hinerman, USS Farragut Public Affairs

MOBILE, Ala. (NNS) -- Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) completed a scheduled port visit in Mobile, Feb. 10.

The ship visited Mobile, the birthplace of Mardi Gras in the United States, as part of the Navy's Community Outreach Program.

Upon arrival, the ship received a warm welcome from various community leaders including U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne of Alabama's 1st Congressional District, as well as Gina Gregory, president of the Mobile City Council representing District 7.

While in port, the crew conducted a community relations (COMREL) project at the Harmon Recreational Center and participated in numerous Mardi Gras parades and balls. Farragut also hosted a ship tour for the Davidson High School Navy Junior ROTC and Sea Cadets, as well as a breakfast for several distinguished guests including the city of Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson and retired Rear Adm. Rich Landolt.

"The Navy's ties to the city of Mobile continue to grow stronger," said Cmdr. Cory Applebee, Farragut's commanding officer. "With its rich history that includes Adm. Farragut himself and extends up to the production of the Navy's newest warships, it was a pleasure to meet some of the community's most influential leaders that truly appreciate our nation's brave men and women."

More than 15 Farragut Sailors volunteered their time to help paint designs on the walls of the Harmon Recreation Center as part of the COMREL project.

"The Harmon Recreation Center COMREL was a great success," said Chief Electrician's Mate Francisco Eraula. "Everybody had fun and enjoyed volunteering for the benefit of the kids of Mobile. We are standing by to help more communities in the future."

Farragut Sailors also had the opportunity to experience many of the Mardi Gras events, a first for many of them, while others took the opportunity to visit other local attractions including USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park.

"Mobile has a rich, vibrant, and welcoming culture that was appreciated by the Farragut crew," said Lt. j.g. Richard Schroyer. "I would love to visit the area again with my family."

Several Sailors who are natives of Mobile also had an opportunity to visit with family members.

"I was able to visit many family members, attend and actually march in a Mardi Gras parade," said Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Johnathan Austin. "Hearing all of the applause from the crowd showed how much support the Navy has."

David Glasgow Farragut, the ship's namesake, was a flag officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral in the United States Navy. He is remembered for his order at the Battle of Mobile Bay, in which he was victorious, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead."

USS Farragut Returns to Homeport, End of Deployment

By Lt. Jacob Steele, Destroyer Squadron 40 Public Affairs

U.S. Army Helicopter Black Hawk hovers above the guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) to perform a fast rope exercise as part of Fuerzas Alidas (FA) PANAMAX 2008. FA PANAMAX is an annual U.S. Southern Command joint and multi-national training exercise co-sponsored with the Government of Panama tailored to the defense of the Panama Canal. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Shanika L. Futrell/Released)

USS Farragut (DDG-99) returned to her homeport at Naval Station Mayport Oct. 5 after a six-month deployment with Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 40 in support of Partnership of the Americas 2008 (POA 08).

Farragut departed Mayport April 7 on the first leg of their route to circumnavigate South America.

In Rio, Farragut participated with DESRON 40 ship USS Kauffman (FFG-59) and embarked Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 42, Detachment 7 as well as USS George Washington (CVN-73) in the Atlantic phase of the multinational UNITAS exercise.

Other important components of the Partnership of the Americas engagement were the theater security cooperation (TSC) missions, which Farragut conducted in each one of the 13 ports she visited during the deployment. TSC missions feature subject-matter-expert exchanges, distinguished visitor tours, receptions and sporting events which promote goodwill and esprit de corps between the U.S. Navy and partner nation navies.

Some of the acts of goodwill in which Farragut Sailors participated were the community relations (COMREL) projects which were a part of every TSC mission. During COMRELs, Farragut Sailors helped paint and rebuild schools, orphanages and elders' residences in 13 cities throughout the Caribbean and Central and South America.

In conjunction with the COMREL projects, Farragut distributed donated goods from Project Handclasp, an official U.S. Navy program which coordinates delivery of humanitarian, educational and goodwill material, to all 13 cities visited.

Upon completion of UNITAS Atlantic phase, Farragut conducted TSC visits in Montevideo, Uruguay, and Ushuaia, Argentina, before transiting the Straits of Magellan and entering the Pacific Ocean.

"The inland passages near the Straits of Magellan are some of the most beautiful and dangerous waters in the world," said Farragut Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Scott Dugan. "We are privileged to have sailed there and faced the challenges the climate, seas and weather the narrow passages provided for us. Few sailors in the world have gone there, and to do so for such a worthwhile purpose made it only better."

Farragut then participated in the submarine warfare exercises "EJAS Norte" (Spanish for Anti-Submarine Warfare Exercise North) with the Chilean navy and Silent Forces Exercise with Peru before pulling into port in Lima, to prepare for UNITAS Pacific phase. UNITAS Pacific included the navies of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile.

The ship also participated in TSC events in Cartagena, Colombia, and then moved to Colon, Panama, to participate in the largest multinational joint exercise in this hemisphere, PANAMAX, which focuses on bringing many nations together to practice defending the Panama Canal, a vital and vulnerable passage for commercial and military ships from all over the world. More than 20 nations and 35 ships participated this year.

After successfully completing PANAMAX, Farragut returned to conducting TSC missions in the Caribbean, spreading goodwill to Curacao, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia and Martinique.

Most recently, Farragut conducted 14 days of counter-illicit trafficking operations in the Caribbean in support of Joint Interagency Task Force South. On Oct. 1, Farragut intercepted a vessel with an initial tally of three metric tons of cocaine aboard.

"Interdictions such as Farragut's, which discourage cartels from shipping illicit drugs, encourage legal trade between nations, and perhaps most importantly, keep drugs off of American streets, are key to our safety as a nation and to regional stability and our ongoing cooperation with partner nations," said Capt. Rudy Laco, DESRON 40 commodore.

"As Farragut returns home to friends and family, her Sailors can look back on a deployment full of achievement, success, faith and goodwill towards all of our southern neighbors," said Dugan. "Interoperability, cooperation and partnership cannot be surged. Farragut can be proud that she has made enormous steps for the United States towards just those goals and towards ensuring stability throughout the region for years to come."

During the deployment, Farragut was under operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO)/U.S. 4th Fleet conducting TSC missions, and counter-illicit trafficking operations in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of focus, which encompasses the Caribbean, Central and South America, and surrounding waters. Once Farragut returned to Mayport, U.S. 2nd Fleet took over operational control.

NAVSO, the naval component command of SOUTHCOM, directs U.S. Naval Forces operating in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions and interacts with partner nation navies within the maritime environment. Various operations include counter-illicit trafficking, theater security cooperation, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, military-to-military interaction and bilateral and multinational training.

Fourth Fleet is the numbered fleet assigned to NAVSO, exercising operational control of assigned forces in the SOUTHCOM area of focus.

Eye on the Fleet - USS Farragut

The guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) approaches along side the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) in preparation for a refueling at sea. GW is undergoing carrier qualifications and flight deck certification in preparation for its homeport change to Yokosuka, Japan. GW will relieve USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) as the Navy's only forward deployed aircraft carrier. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Luis Ramirez

USS Farragut Sailors Embark on Maiden Deployment

By Ensign Jillian Danback, USS Farragut Public Affairs



MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- USS Farragut (DDG 99) and its Sailors deployed for the first time April 7 as part of the George Washington Strike Group in support of Partnership of the Americas (POA).

Commanded by Cmdr. Scott E. Dugan, this is Farragut's first deployment since the ship's commissioning May 4, 2006.

"Deploying is an important event in any service member's career, but there is a significant amount of pride associated with being the first crew to deploy a ship," Dugan said. "A successful deployment will be an excellent opportunity for Farragut to improve interoperability and readiness with our South American partners, essential elements of the Navy's new Maritime Strategy."

Apart from this being Farragut's first deployment, there are other factors which will make this experience truly unique.

As part of the strike group, Farragut will escort USS George Washington (CVN 73) (GW) during the first portion of its journey to Yokosuka, Japan where GW will replace the USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) as the Navy's only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier.

While transiting around South America, Farragut, GW, and USS Kauffman (FFG 59) will participate in a Partnership of Americas 2008 (POA). POA is an annual maritime-engagement operation aimed at increasing multinational cooperation and strengthening partnerships among regional navies, directed by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), under the operational control of SOUTHCOM's Naval Component Command U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO).

The deployment includes bilateral and multinational sea-based exercises and training opportunities, such as UNITAS, which has two geographically-focused maritime exercises aimed at improving interoperability between participating navies.

During a recent deployment work-up exercise with the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, Farragut conducted multiple air defense exercises in preparation of becoming the Air Defense Coordinator (ADC) for the entire strike group.

"The role of the primary Air Defense Commander for an entire Carrier Strike Group is not a role usually delegated to AEGIS-class destroyers," said assistant Air Defense Coordinator, Senior Chief Fire Controlman (SW) Jason Brock.

As such, Farragut's air defense team will be actively engaged in managing all air contacts throughout the entirety of her transit with GW.

Similarly, the POA's mission presents its own unique challenges. Numerous community relations projects will take place during Farragut's port visits, involving a high level of operational support and management. Additionally, underway exercises will be conducted with the Argentine, Brazilian, Chilean, Panamanian, and Peruvian navies in order to improve interoperability with these nations as our partners in an effort to ensure maritime security throughout the region.

After Farragut detaches from escorting GW, its crew will engage in counter-narcotic and theater security cooperation exercises. Maritime interdiction operations scenarios were conducted during the recent group sail exercise in preparation for the types of situations Farragut's visit, board, search, and seizure team may encounter during deployment.

"If Farragut is around for 30 more years, you will always be able to say you were the first crew who took this ship through deployment for the very first time," said Dugan prior to the ship's first deployment. "No other crew can claim that. We are the fifth ship named Farragut; consequently, this crew has the opportunity to contribute towards a continuing naval tradition."