PACFLT Visits Fleet Activities Yokosuka

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter Burghart, Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka Public Affairs

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Adm. Scott Swift visited Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), July 22, as part of a three-nation area familiarization tour of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

The trip to Yokosuka was Swift's first visit to the base since assuming command of U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT), May 27.

During his visit to CFAY, Swift met with Fleet Activities (FLEACT) and Commander, Navy Region Japan (CNFJ) representatives, as well as Japan Self-Defense Force officials.

"This trip provides me with a great opportunity to visit Japan and reacquaint myself with the issues from the Japanese perspective in the region," the admiral said.

As PACFLT, Swift is responsible for the largest naval command in the world, with an area of responsibility that covers almost half of the world's surface.

Swift said that he is intimately familiar with the area, having previously served a tour in Yokosuka as the U.S. 7th Fleet commander on the amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), from September 2011 to July 2013.

During Swift's visit, he held an all-hands call, met with local officials, and held a town hall meeting for both service members and their families. The admiral discussed his goals for the Pacific Fleet and took time to answer Sailors' questions during both events held at CFAY's Fleet Theater.

Swift discussed topics and issues ranging from the continued rebalancing of forces to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, to possible changes in the Department of Defense retirement plan and many other issues that have a potential impact on Navy personnel and their families.

"The Sailors here stand on a heritage of service forward," he said. "My focus as the Pacific Fleet commander is on Sailors and their families, as well as the civilian work force that supports us."

CFAY provides, maintains and operates base facilities and services in support of U.S. 7th Fleet's forward-deployed naval forces, 83 tenant commands, and 24,000 military and civilian personnel.

Higgins to Provide Maritime Security in the Indo-Asia- Region

By Ensign Joe Barone, USS Higgins Public Affairs

WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) entered the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR), July 22 after departing their homeport of San Diego, California, July 6.

Higgins is conducting an independent deployment to the Western Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Middle East and is scheduled to perform theater security cooperation engagements and maritime security operations while maintaining stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

"This deployment is the culmination of a rigorous year-long training cycle." said Cmdr. Allen Johnson, Higgins' commanding officer. "Our crew is extremely capable and ready to perform all missions assigned."

Higgins, is a multi-mission ship with anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare, surface combatant capabilities; designed to operate independently or with an associated strike group.

The U.S. 7th Fleet AOR encompasses more than 48 million square miles (more than 124 million square kilometers) -- from the Kuril Islands in the north to the Antarctic in the south, and from the International Date Line to the 68th meridian east, which runs down from the India-Pakistan border. The area includes 36 maritime countries and the world's five largest foreign armed forces -- People's Republic of China, Russia, India, North Korea and Republic of Korea. Five of the seven U.S. Mutual Defense Treaties are with countries in the area -- Republic of the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Japan, and Thailand.

USS Chancellorsville Begins Patrol Providing Maritime Security to Indo-Asia-Pacific Region

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Raymond D. Diaz III, USS Chancellorsville Public Affairs

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) departed Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka, for an Indo-Asia-Pacific region patrol, July 22.

Chancellorsville is the latest addition to the Forward Deployed Naval Force (FDNF) in Japan, from her previous homeport in San Diego.

While in San Diego, the ship underwent upgrades to include a new Aegis Baseline 9 system. Chancellorsville arrived in Japan, June 18, and underwent a maintenance period prior to getting underway.

"I am very excited for our first FDNF patrol," said Lt. Corry Lougee, Chancellorsville's operations officer. "It takes a lot of preparation and planning to operate in 7th Fleet and to accomplish all this training. The crew is ready and hungry to tackle all missions assigned."

Chancellorsville, with a crew of more than 350 Sailors, will perform theater security cooperation engagements and maritime security operations while maintaining stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

Red Flag offers B-52 crews training that 'can't be beat'

by Airman 1st Class Rachel Loftis
99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

7/23/2015 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- As the sun blazes through the cloudless sky, a suffocating heat touches down on the Nellis Air Force Base flightline. A B-52H Stratofortress from the 69th Bomb Squadron sits, awaiting pre-flight checks for its upcoming Red Flag mission.

Red Flag provides realistic air combat missions in a training environment which ensures participating air and ground crews are better prepared for future real-world operations.

The 69th BS is one of many units taking advantage of the training Red Flag 15-3 offers.

"We got back from Guam last year and Red Flag was the next big thing on the docket, so we started focusing on that as early as possible," said Capt. Britt, 69th BS aircraft commander. "We wanted to focus on and show the (Combat Air Forces) what we could do so that when we got here our entire unit was on the same sheet of music, could perform as well as we could, and didn't' look like the slow ponies when we showed up."

The 69th BS brought four B-52 aircraft and approximately 180 Airmen to participate in Red Flag 15-3.

"We started talking about Red Flag about six month ago," Britt said. "However, I would say our real training program started three months ago, and we rolled through daily sorties. We started simulating what we expected to have here at Red Flag and carried that through so there weren't any big surprises when we got here."

The B-52 is a long-range, heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions such as strategic attack, close-air support, air interdiction, offensive counter-air and maritime operations.

"I don't think it's an unfair analogy to say that Red Flag is like the Super Bowl if you will," said 1st Lt. Joseph. "You plan for it, everybody else is getting ready for it in all separate places throughout the country and then all of a sudden, we all come together and integrate."

"We have this 'Seminole' moment where we are all learning together as a group. You're rubbing shoulders literally in the same building with all these people you've heard about throughout the year and you've trained to be able to integrate with, and now all of a sudden you're there and doing the mission," he added.

In addition to bringing the B-52 to Red Flag, the 69th BS has had the chance to gain valuable knowledge and training experience through the combat exercises presented at Red Flag.

"I would say at the unit level there is no better training than this in the world," Britt said. "It's definitely one of those things where there are people that have been to Red Flag and there's people that haven't and you're level of training, your level of expertise and skill increases significantly while you're here. Having all these assets and all the opportunities here at the same time, you simply can't beat it. It's the biggest bang for your buck."

Editor's note: Last names have been withheld due to operational security constraints.