USS George Washington Sailors Vote While Deployed

 Nov. 2, 2026 |U.S. Naval Forces Central Command |

Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington voted during a voting rodeo event held in the ship's library last month.

Navy Chaplain (Lt.) Steven Matkins, the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command's voting assistance officer, organized the event for the sailors currently deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. 
 
"We have sailors from all backgrounds working as a team, and oftentimes, we're so far away from home, we think things don't affect us," Matkins said. "When you give people the opportunity to vote, you see how much we really care about things back home." 
 
Navy Capt. Nicholas DeLeo, the ship's commanding officer, said casting a ballot means participating in something far greater than self. 
 
"The opportunity to vote while deployed … is profound. It allows our sailors to directly exercise the very rights and freedoms they have sworn to defend," he said. "No matter how far from home, every sailor can still participate in our nation's elections — a powerful reminder that those who safeguard our republic are never excluded from it." 
 
Regardless of location or mission demands, DeLeo said the sailors recognize voting as a fundamental civic duty that directly shapes our nation's future, their forward-deployed operations and their own careers.

Navy Seaman Gavin Naab, an information systems technician assigned to the George Washington, voted for the first time during the election rodeo. He said he was genuinely excited to participate in the democratic process. 
 
"Your ballot can directly affect the policies enacted both at home and abroad, which has the power to alter the trajectory of your career, international affairs and history as a whole," Naab said. 
 
The George Washington is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, supporting maritime security and stability in the Middle East.

USS George Washington Navigates Strait of Magellan

By By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alex Smedegard,

USS George Washington Public Affairs

ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The Aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) transited the Strait of Magellan Oct. 31 - Nov. 2, completing the Pacific Ocean portion of their Southern Seas 2015 deployment.

The Strait of Magellan, named after the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, is a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland Chile and is a natural passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Magellan made passage through the strait on Nov.1, 1520 while searching for a quicker route to the Spice Islands by sailing west.

"Today our crew witnessed an historic moment, marking the 495th anniversary of Magellan's passage through the strait during our own memorable transit," said Capt Timothy C. Kuehhas.

During the two-day transit, the Sailors of GW's navigation department played a major role by maintaining the ship's course and monitoring water depth through the 570-kilometer passage.

"We set sea and anchor detail meaning we were less than two nautical miles away from land and had to take what we call visual fixes, or bearings, from three different points off of land in order to make sure the ship was still safe for navigation," said Quartermaster 2nd Class Janet Dahlman.

The Strait of Magellan transit also served as a valuable training tool for qualifying junior quartermasters in different aspects of their rate.

"It gave them a very good experience at what it takes to get through a strait as a quartermaster," said Dahlman. There are a lot of hazards in a transit like this so everyone had to work together to successfully complete our mission."

Washington anchored late in the day Nov. 1 just off the coast of Punta Arenas, Chile. Punta Arenas is considered the world's southernmost city, with more than 102,000 residents.

As the ship resumed its transit Nov. 2, hundreds of Washington, Carrier Strike Group NINE, Destroyer Squadron 23 and embarked Carrier Air Wing TWO Sailors roamed the flight deck and hangar bay to snap a few photographs of the snow-capped mountains overlooking parts of the strait.

"This was a milestone in my Southern Seas deployment," said Quartermaster Seaman Rodney Cobia. "I've never seen anything like this in my life and to share it with my shipmates is something I'll always reminisce about."

Washington is deployed as part of Southern Seas 2015 which seeks to enhance interoperability, increase regional stability and build and maintain relationships with countries throughout the region through joint, multinational and interagency exchanges and cooperation.

Hull Swap Begins: George Washington Arrives in San Diego

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Paolo Bayas,

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) arrived in San Diego to conduct a 10-day hull swap with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) as part of a force structure change, Aug. 10.

Ronald Reagan (RR) will relieve George Washington (GW) as the Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Yokosuka, Japan, and GW will return to Newport News, Virginia, for a mid-life refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) following a deployment around South America.

"I would like to thank our Sailors and their families," said Capt. Timothy Kuehhas, GW's commanding officer. "To ensure the success of this historic hull swap, the Sailors aboard the three ships and their families have had to remain flexible to ensure the Navy's carrier fleet is manned effectively. Key personnel, especially those related to unique systems, will remain with their ships. For training of new crews, each ship will go through a tailored syllabus following the crew swap."

RR was one of the first responders during Operation Tomodachi in 2011 after the earthquake and tsunami, establishing a strong tie between the ship and the community of Japan. In addition, RR recently completed a maintenance period where it had many of its systems upgraded.

"Our relationship with Japan is vital to U.S. national security interests abroad," said Kuehhas. "Providing USS Ronald Reagan forward in Japan ensures the United States is best positioned to honor our security commitment to Japan. Our forward-deployed naval forces in U.S. 7th Fleet, along with their counterparts in the Japan Self-Defense Forces, comprise the core capabilities needed by the alliance to meet our common strategic objectives."

Following the turnover and personnel swap between RR and GW, RR will conduct a flight deck certification and tailor the ship's training availability before departing the Southern California operating area to proceed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.

USS George Washington has been forward deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility since August 2008, and is returning to Newport News to undergo its RCOH. Maintenance efforts will include: refueling the ship's two nuclear reactors, modernization and repairs to the propulsion plant, restoring ship service life margins, and system/equipment repair and/or replacement, as well as war-fighting modernization.

VFA-195 Conducts Sky High Change of Command

By Lt. Amy Lowe, VFA-195 Public Affairs

EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The "Dambusters" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195 held an airborne change of command above the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), Aug 7.

During the ceremony, Cmdr. Guy M. Snodgrass relieved Cmdr. David M. Pollard as Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195's commanding officer.

Pollard, a graduate of the Navy Fighter Weapons School that is popularly known as "Top Gun" reported to the "Dambusters" of VFA-195 in May 2013 as executive officer and assumed the role of VFA-195's commanding officer in July 2014.

During Pollard's tour as commanding officer, the VFA-195 squadron was awarded the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 Golden Wrench Award for the first time in four years, became the first squadron in CVW-5 to earn the Enlisted Air Warfare Specialist (EAWS) Pennant and was one of only five squadrons in all of Naval Air Forces Pacific to earn the 2015 Retention Excellence Award.

"Watching officers and Sailors develop to their maximum potential, some of whom did not initially believe they could soar so high has been rewarding throughout my time as commanding officer," said Pollard.

Upon returning to the U.S. from his present duty station in Japan, Pollard will assume the duties of Navy Tactical Aviation Budget Lead at the Pentagon, where he will play a key role in the budgeting for tactical aircraft destined for future carrier operations.

Snodgrass who has served as the squadron's executive officer since July 2014 has previously been assigned to the "Wildcats" of VFA-131 where he led combat sorties in support of forces on the ground during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Additionally, he was a Top Gun instructor and created the foundation for aerial tactics used to this day by U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviators, served as a training officer and department head with the "Diamondbacks' of VFA-102, supporting multinational operations in the Asia-Pacific region, and the speech writer to Adm. Jonathan Greenert, the current chief of naval operations. He currently has more than 2,100 F/A-18 hours and 570 carrier landings.

"Cmdr. Snodgrass will lead VFA-195 to new heights, advancing more Sailors, crushing inspections, and achieving unprecedented squadron performance," said Pollard. "His vision is peerless, forward thinking, and warfighting-oriented. Our daily interaction grew and stretched me personally and professionally. He is a personal friend and 'once in a generation' leader."

Since its founding in 1943 as Torpedo Squadron 19, VFA-195 has flown in every major U.S.-involved conflict in recent history, seeing combat at Okinawa and Leyte Gulf in World War II, Chosin Reservoir in Korea, and Operations Desert Storm, Desert Shield, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The squadron is currently embarked aboard George Washington and will soon transition to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) to provide a formidable forward presence in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.

"It's an honor to be selected and I'm humbled to be following in Cmdr. Pollard's footsteps as commanding officer," Snodgrass said. "This is undoubtedly the best job in naval aviation and I look forward to making an impact alongside the men and women of the Dambusters. We will build on the incredible success we've enjoyed over the past year while continuing to develop every Sailor as a leader for the Navy and the nation."

VFA-195 is one of the eight Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 squadrons embarked aboard George Washington and is en route to conduct a hull-swap with the Ronald Reagan.