As an Air Force veteran, I tend to focus on airplanes, air power and all things wild-blue-yonder.
Not fair.
Our servicemen and women in the other Services do an equally outstanding job of protecting our freedom.
So, this weekend, here are some images of our sailors and their ships plying “the Seven Seas” or as they say about the U.S. Navy, “A global force for good.”
ATLANTIC OCEAN
An F/A-18E Hornet assigned to the Flying Eagles of Strike Fighter Squadron 122 prepares to launch from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class M. M. Gillan.
PACIFIC OCEAN
An amphibious assault vehicle with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion prepares to exit the well deck during a ship to shore exercise movement aboard amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset .Somerset is participating in Exercise Dawn Blitz 2015, a multinational training to build U.S., Japan, Mexico, and New Zealand’s amphibious and command and control capabilities through live, simulated, and constructive military training activities, (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Vladimir Ramos)
THE CARIBBEAN
The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort prepares to anchor off the coast of Puerto Castilla, Honduras, during the 10th mission stop in support of Continuing Promise 2015. Continuing Promise is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet-conducted deployment to conduct civil-military operations including humanitarian-civil assistance, subject matter expert exchanges, medical, dental, veterinary and engineering support and disaster response to partner nations and to show U.S. support and commitment to Central and South America and the Caribbean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kameren Guy Hodnett)
INDIAN OCEAN
Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Alyssa Wynn fires the forward .50-caliber machine gun during a surface warfare live-fire exercise aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge. Bainbridge is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Ensign M. N. Witten)
ARABIAN GULF
Lead photo:
Sailors aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex conduct a night replenishment-at sea with the Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Arctic . Essex is the flagship of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Liam Kennedy)
PHILIPPINE SEA
An AV-8B Harrier assigned to Marine Attack Squadron 311 takes off from the flight deck of the forward deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard. Bonhomme Richard is the lead ship of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group and is on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Taylor A. Elberg)
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Senior Chief Gas Turbine System Technician Jose Casasgonzalez, from Reno, Nevada, leads training for Sailors aboard USS Porter . Porter, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is on a routine patrol conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe. (U.S. Navy photo by Quartermaster 3rd Class David Folino)
BLACK SEA
Visit, board, search, and seizure team members assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook conduct a training exercise aboard the Romanian corvette ROS Sebastian. Donald Cook is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sean)
Even at the North Pole
Sailors aboard the fast attack submarine USS Seawolf (SSN 21) remove Arctic ice from the hull after surfacing at the North Pole. Seawolf conducted routine Arctic operations.
All this, in addition to “routine” duties such as cooking for hundreds, sometimes thousands of hungry sailors…
Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Donnie Shannon, a native of New York City, prepares lunch for Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marcus L. Stanley)
Delivering the much-treasured mail from home…
Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Kelvin Doe sorts mail in the hangar bay of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ryan McFarlane)
Sharing a smile and a laugh, even when it hurts…
Hospitalman Erwin Marte, assigned to Naval Medical Center San Diego, shares a laugh with Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Conor Minto during a blood drive hosted on Naval Base Coronado. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Gerald Dudley Reynolds)
Providing comfort through music..
The U.S. Fleet Forces Band brass quintet plays patriotic music at Chattanooga Sings for Hope, a concert for families of the fallen Marines and Sailor in Chattanooga, Tenn. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Leona Mynes.
There is one thing our sailors always look forward to, no matter how long or short the deployment: the joy of coming home — sometimes to find a new addition to the family that “just happened” while you were gone.
Steelworker 2nd Class Brandin Salazar, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5, greets his daughter on the flight line at Naval Base Ventura County following his return from deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Lowell Whitman)
Below are some of the Navy homecoming traditions, courtesy the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command.
Have a great (Navy) weekend!
All photos and captions: U.S. Navy
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.