USS New Hampshire Returns Home from Deployment

By Lt. Timothy Hawkins, Submarine Group 2 Public Affairs

GROTON, Conn. (NNS) -- Friends and family of USS New Hampshire (SSN 778) were all smiles despite rainy weather Aug. 13 as the Virginia-class attack submarine arrived in Groton, Connecticut, completing a six-month overseas deployment.

New Hampshire departed Naval Submarine Base New London on Feb. 11 to conduct maritime operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility and made port visits in the United Kingdom and Norway.

"New Hampshire's superb mission execution was vital to national strategic and theater security objectives," said 6th Fleet commander Vice Adm. Philip Davidson in a message to the crew. "As you return home to family and friends, you can be very proud of a job well done."

Friends and family gathered in a local meeting hall on the eve of the submarine's return. Many expressed excitement that the six-month wait was over.

Retired Lt. Cmdr. Wendy Chiado said she was looking forward to hugging "the best cook in the Navy." Her son Culinary Specialist 1st Class Seth Chiado, 27, has been a member of New Hampshire's crew since 2010.

Petty Officer Chiado's mom and dad traveled from Colorado to meet him on the pier alongside his wife Sarah, two year old daughter, and two aunts.

Sarah and Petty Officer Chiado's other two kids, ages 8 and 10, were unable to greet dad because they were at camp. But Sarah said the kids closely tracked each passing day of the deployment by marking a calendar to signal one step closer to the end.

For Sarah personally, the end means the return of Petty Officer Chiado and his help at home raising their three children, a sentiment New Hampshire's commanding officer understands.

"I have to thank our families for the tremendous sacrifice and support they showed while we were away accomplishing our mission," said Cmdr. Sean Fujimoto who assumed command in 2012.

USS New Hampshire is equipped to attack land targets with highly accurate Tomahawk cruise missiles, conduct covert surveillance and support special forces in addition to other warfare missions.

"We just completed a challenging deployment, demonstrating an incredible level of endurance. It would not have been possible without the ingenuity, hard work and selflessness of the men I serve with," said Fujimoto.

The crew of more than 130 Sailors can operate the 377-foot-long vessel at depths greater than 800 feet and speeds in excess of 25 knots when submerged.

New Hampshire was commissioned in October 2008 and is the third Navy ship named for the nation's ninth state.

MUSE Supplies Power to the Horn of Africa

By Darrell E. Waller, Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center Public Affairs

PORT HUENEME, Calif. (NNS) -- The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC) Mobile Utilities Support Equipment (MUSE) division completed vital power upgrades at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti (CLDJ) Aug. 12.

A team of four Seabee MUSE technicians inspected and installed 10 700 kilowatt (kw) power plants and two fused disconnect switches during their visit. The power plants and new switches will provide power to the electrical grid during switching operations.

"The MUSE team brought important energy upgrades to Camp Lemonnier," said NAVFAC EXWC Commanding Officer Capt. Mark. K. Edelson. "Those changes will have a significant impact on the work being done in the Horn of Africa by military and civilian workers. Our MUSE team delivers energy solutions to U.S. military assets worldwide while employing a "can-do" approach in solving complex energy issues for supported commands."

The 10 power plants will provide an additional seven megawatts, along with 11 megawatts of prime power generation already in place, comprising 40 percent of total electrical production capacity at the camp. The team installed two transformers, increasing the mega volt amp (MVA) capability by five MVA.

The new power plants will make it easier for CLDJ personnel to keep power supplied to the entire camp while various portions of the grid are taken down and upgraded.

The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center's MUSE division is based in Port Hueneme, California. MUSE technicians are selected from all Seabee rates to attend the Army Prime Power School located at Fort Leonard Wood, Montana. The rigorous year-long school curriculum consists of intensive academic and technical training focused on teaching students the principles of power production and transformation.

The Mobile Utilities Support Equipment division serves a number of supported commanders throughout the Navy and Department of Defense. It also supports shore establishment utility systems and cold-iron services throughout the world with supplemental equipment capable of electrical generation and transformation.

NAVFAC EXWC is the Navy's premier activity for facilities and expeditionary technology solutions, engineering services, equipment logistics and products needed to equip the fleet and meet warfighter requirements. EXWC also delivers specialized engineering and technology solutions that support sustainable facilities and provides logistics and expeditionary systems support for Navy combat force capabilities.

GUAMEX 2014 Commences in the Pacific

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (EXW) Timothy Wilson, U.S. Naval Forces, Marianas Public Affairs

YIGO, Guam (NNS) -- Military forces from Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the U.S. are partnering in a multinational anti-submarine warfare exercise around the waters of Guam aimed at increasing the interoperability capacity between these nations operating in the Pacific, Aug. 9-15.

The exercise includes multiple aircraft and subsurface assets from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the Royal Australian Air Force and U.S. and observers from the Royal New Zealand Air Force who will collaborate to strengthen personal relationships between these countries.

"The biggest take away is building experiences together and operating away from our home bases in an expeditionary style," said Lt. Jon Torbett, attached to Task Force 72 and the U.S. action officer for GUAMEX 2014." We don't often get a chance to all operate together and the end goal of this exercise is to be able to perform anti-submarine operations."

GUAMEX 2014 will include approximately 25 operational scenarios, several aircraft familiarization tours and social gatherings designed to increase these regional partnerships.

Naval War College Seeking Papers on Women, Peace, Security

By Daniel S. Marciniak, U.S. Naval War College Public Affairs

NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- The U.S. Naval War College (NWC) is issuing a 'call for papers' in preparation for its third annual Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Conference Series held at the NWC in Newport, Rhode Island, April 16-17, 2015.

In an effort to gather theoretical and practical ideas from a wider audience not normally represented in a limited conference format, the conference series chair is soliciting papers from academics, researchers, military personnel, non-governmental organizations and individuals who have an interest or experience in issues pertaining to WPS.

"Conferences have limited room for participants," said Mary Raum, NWC professor and chair of the WPS Conference Series. "To have available, online and in the networked world, some quality thoughts on components of WPS from thinkers and practitioners who have a direct tie to the subjects being discussed, is an invaluable resource.

"This call for papers will allow for a broader reach in exchanging ideas and enable us to network on a global scale - a first step for formalizing the sharing of ideas allied with conference precepts."

Since the inception of the U.S. National Action Plan on WPS in 2011, the NWC has been at the forefront of exploration into national and international issues involving WPS, working towards the goal of empowering women in conflict prevention and peace.

In support of the conference theme, "Constructive Pathways: Stimulating and Safeguarding Components of Women, Peace, and Security," interested parties can contribute to this goal by submitting a paper on one of the following subjects:

- Department of Defense operational aspects of WPS.

- How different types of conflict impact minority populations.

- Regional viewpoints of modern conflict zones.

- Efforts in soft and hard power.

- Media, arts, information and communication networks.

- Law, politics and governance.

- Quantitative studies.

Selected papers will be published on the NWC website and accessible to U.S. Navy personnel fleet wide.

"Being a contributor to this call for papers will allow for an additional avenue of exchange between theorists and practitioners in academia, military and non-governmental organizations," said Raum. "These ideas are important for better operationalizing WPS components in the most meaningful way possible."

Proposals must be submitted by Nov. 1, 2014.

Mount Whitney Arrives in Southern France to Commemorate World War II Liberation

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mike Wright, USS Mount Whitney Public Affairs

THEOULE-SUR-MER, France (NNS) -- The U.S. 6th Fleet flagship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) arrived in Theoule-sur-Mer, France, to participate in commemorative events paying tribute to the 70th anniversary of the Allied invasion that led to the liberation of Southern France during World War II, Aug. 13.

The focus of the commemorative events will be to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of the 151,000 Allied forces who conducted Operation Dragoon, the operational name for the invasion that took place Aug. 15, 1944.

Mount Whitney, participating in these events for a fourth consecutive year, will host a reception, participate in a parade of ships with French ships, facilitate ship tours, and provide its color guard for a remembrance ceremony at the Rhone American Cemetery.

"It's a humbling experience to be a part of a celebration like this," said Information System Technician 2nd Class Shayne Fairgrieve. "I am extremely proud to call myself a Sailor in today's Navy, and the Mount Whitney coming to France for this commemoration is only creating a stronger bond between us and [our Allies]."

Additionally, Mount Whitney Sailors will clean up the Rhone American Cemetery as part of a community service project.

Mount Whitney, forward deployed to Gaeta, Italy, operates with a combined crew of U.S. Navy Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners. The civil service mariners perform navigation, deck, engineering and supply service operations, while military personnel support communications, weapons systems and security. It is one of only two seaborne Joint Command Platforms in the U.S. Navy, both of which are forward deployed.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.