Ships led by the Commander of Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 8, USS Iwo Jima, (LHD 7), USS New York (LPD 21) USS Gunston Hall (LSD 41), in conjunction with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, got underway for their composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX), Nov. 29.

COMPTUEX is a major requirement for the Amphibious Ready Group pre-deployment certification that evaluates an ARG’s ability to deploy and conduct major combat operations. It is designed to train the ship, embarked air wing and other units that make up the ARG to function as one highly effective fighting force. Evaluators from Commander, Strike Force Training Atlantic will ensure the strike group’s units are exercised in all warfare areas.

“This COMPTUEX is basically a dress rehearsal for deployment, where everyone in the amphibious ready group gets underway with a coordinated schedule of events with the Marines,” said Command Master Chief Raphael Perez, a native of New York. “During the exercise we simulate various missions at a rapid level so we can be ready for anything we might encounter on our upcoming 2012 deployment.”

New York is now in their advanced level of operational training. During the exercise, the crew will showcase their ability to handle multiple surface and air contacts, visit, board, search and seizure operations, as well as simultaneous well deck and flight deck operations.

“I have high expectations for my crew during this exercise. We have undergone months of training, starting at the most basic levels of safety and gradually intergrating more difficult techniques and missions. Throughout the training process we repeatedly executed scenarios, polishing the cannon ball if you will, so we are ready when the country calls on us,” said Perez.

COMPTUEX got underway with the successful execution of the sea and anchor detail in conjunction with wet well operations.

“Today was a tough day to get underway, with the rain and bad weather,” said Perez. “However, the crew handled both sea and anchor and bringing our LCACs (landing craft air cushion) on successfully and safely. I think it set a very good tone for the underway, and as long as we continue to operate at this level of professionalism, it will be a very smooth and safe underway.”

“>http://www.dvidshub.net/video/embed/128993″>

With the holidays around the corner being underway can prove challenging, but Perez is confident in his crew’s ability to stay focused on the task at hand.

“I’m proud of the crew up to this point,” said Perez. “I know they are looking forward to completing the exercise and getting on to the holidays with their families, but they understand the importance of obtaining our qualifications and being deployment ready.”

Article by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Jamica Johnson, Amphibious Squadron 8 Public Affairs

Tags: 24th marine expeditionary unit, amphibious operations, amphibious ready group, amphibious ships, amphibious squadron, bad weather, cannon ball, command master chief, Crews News, deploy, dress rehearsal, landing craft, LCAC, LPD, lpd 21, New York, News, operational training, raphael perez, search and seizure, ships, strike group, USS, uss gunston hall, uss iwo jima, uss iwo jima lhd, uss iwo jima lhd 7, USS New York, USS New York LPD-21, warfare areas

Photo and story by MC3 Shannon Burns
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2011, then-Senior Chief Electronics Technician Rafael
Perez was in his hotel room with his family before being abruptly awoken by
his command sponsor. In the middle of a duty station change, Perez’s sponsor
went on to inform him that two commercial airplanes had crashed into the World
Trade Center Towers. Little did Perez know the events that had transpired would
forever shift the path of his life. A native of Bronx, N.Y., Perez joined the Navy in
1987, five years after graduating high school. His motivation came in the form of
the Hollywood blockbuster, “Top Gun.”
“When I watched the movie ‘Top Gun’ I said to myself, ‘I want to do
that. I wanted to … be like those cool guys in the movie,’” said Perez.
Following his decision to join the Navy, Perez spent the next 14 years
like any other Sailor: deploying, visiting other countries, advancing in
rank, and building friendships.
“When 9/11 happened I had just transferred from USS Newport News
(SSN 750) to Submarine Group Seven, Yokosuka, Japan,” said Perez. “I
was in the Navy Lodge with my family, and my sponsor woke me up at
about 11:30 p.m. Yokosuka time and told me to turn on the TV. He told me
that our country was under attack. After that, our lives changed forever.”
After receiving the devastating news, Perez’s first reaction was to try
to get in touch with his mother and two siblings who resided in the Bronx.
“I talked to my family immediately as [the attack] was happening,”
said Perez. “I said to myself, ‘Oh my God! There must be at least 25,000
people who work in that building.’ I couldn’t believe that someone would
kill innocent people through terrorism in my hometown! I’d always
hear about wars in other countries, but I never thought that the streets
I would walk on and the places I would visit with my family would be a
target for terrorist activity.”
Because he was stationed in Yokosuka at the time of the attacks, Perez
was not able to immediately see his family.
“I was not able to see my mom and brothers until a year after the attacks,” said Perez. “I knew they were safe, but that day changed my life
because I knew that anything could happen anytime, anywhere. Every
day that I get to see them is a blessing.”
During the aftermath of 9/11, Perez attended an admiral’s call in
which the upper chain of command spoke about the current events.
“9/11 reinforced to me that we were going to be a nation at war and
that leadership of Sailors was going to be essential to success. September
11th inspired me to take that next step and lead Sailors outside of my
rate. I aspired to be a CMC,” said Perez.
The steps that Perez took to accomplish his goal of one day becoming
a command master chief included numerous hours of selfless devotion
to his Sailors and constant support to the war against terrorism. One
of those ways, Perez said, is serving aboard USS New York (LPD 21).
It was an opportunity, symbolic as it were, “I knew I couldn’t pass up.”
On Sept. 9, 2003, construction began on New York, a ship containing
7.5 tons of metal salvaged from the towers. New York was christened on
March 1, 2008, during a ceremony at Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans.
On Nov. 7, 2009, she was commissioned in New York City.
“When I heard that they were going to build New York using metal
from the towers, I wanted to be stationed [at that command],” said Perez.
“I felt so great knowing that there was going to be a ship that would have
such a personal connection to New York and those attacks. The souls
of those who perished are in that ship, and it feels so amazing to be a
CMC on board her.”
The attacks changed not only his path in the Navy, but his view of how
safe he was as well.
“Before 9/11, I probably took security and safety for granted,” Perez
explained. “Since 9/11, I realized we can’t live in fear – that would mean
the terrorists won – but, that we must be vigilant that there are some in this
world who still desire to do our nation harm. It takes all of us to protect
our nation and our communities.”
For Perez the connection to the New York goes beyond her crew.
“I’ve been in the Navy for 24 years and most of it has been served in the
submarine community,” Perez said. “The biggest thrill of my naval career is
serving as CMC on USS New York. I feel as though the 348 crewmembers
assigned are not her only crewmembers. I feel like I have about 15 million
New Yorkers as my crewmembers as well.”
Since 9/11 the Navy has had to adjust to the threat of terrorism and
a new kind of war where the enemy may not be as obvious as it has been
in the past.
“The Navy is so adaptable, [but] 9/11 changed the face of the Navy,”
Perez commented. “We had to realize that we had to change our warfare
tactics, I think the entire DoD (Department of Defense) realized that we
were going to have to change. We had to become lite and fast instead of just
trying to overcome [our adversaries] with our military might. It caused
our leadership to think about how quickly and effectively we could bring
the fight to the enemy.”
Perez said that he feels privileged not only to be in the Navy, but to be
on New York as the CMC as well.
“I’m so blessed to be a part of this organization. I’m so proud that I
get to represent New York, her crewmembers, and the Navy to the world,”
said Perez. “I wish I could invite the whole Navy to come and visit USS
New York because she’s a fantastic ship, and the people who serve aboard
her are fantastic.”
Perez’s focus is on helping his Sailors improve in and out of the Navy.
“I really want to help USS New York become the best it can be,” said
Perez. “Developing my Sailors both personally and professionally is my
primary focus right now. Most of the Sailors that serve on [New York]
chose to serve here, and they have a deep personal connection to what
this ship stands for.”
Perez’s hope for the future of New York is for the ship to reach its full
potential while on deployment.
“I’d really like the ship to excel in all warfare areas,” Perez commented.
“I really want her to make a difference while deployed so that when people
ask how New York fared on deployment I can say that we exceeded all
expectations.”
Perez has been New York CMC for five months. New York’s homeport
is Norfolk, Va.
Burns is assigned to Defense Media Activity
Original story here
http://www.navy.mil/media/allhands/acrobat/ah201109.pdf

Tags: 1010 wins, 10th anniversary, 11th anniversary, 1776, 343 firefighters, 9 11 attacks, 9 11 pentagon, A FIGHTING TRIBUTE, amphibious craft, amphibious operations, amphibious ships, amphibious transport, amphibious transport dock, center towers, Christening, Christening Ceremony, commercial airplanes, COMMISSIONING, Crews News, electronics technician, mc3, Media, New York Metro, News, rafael perez, sept 11, shannon burns, top gun, USS New York, USS New York LPD-21

By Larry Shaughnessy, CNN Pentagon ProducerAugust 28, 2011 8:39 p.m. EDT

Aboard The Uss Wasp (CNN) — The Navy is sending three amphibious ships towards the New York and New England region in anticipation that the ships may be called upon to assist civilian authorities responding to Hurricane Irene, according to a spokesman for the Navy on the USS Wasp.

The Wasp, according to Lt. Cmdr. Jim Krohne, will be joined by the USS Oak Hill and the USS New York — a ship built in part with steel from the wreckage of the World Trade Center. Now the ship-born-of-a-man-made-tragedy is prepared to help its namesake city respond to a natural disaster.

The three ships are all capable of providing helicopters and floating landing craft for a wide array of humanitarian response, including search-and-rescue, road and debris clearing, emergency communications, emergency medical support, and even an air-traffic control if needed.

Krohne said the three ships — part of a larger unit called Amphibious Task Force 26 — are expected to arrive off the Northeast coast on Monday. They will be able to start flying aid in as the ships get within 120 miles from the area they would be helping.

But the whole mission is still a matter of preparedness, because no official orders have been given to the Navy to start having the ships join the relief effort.

Tags: air, ALL, alt, amp, amphibious ships, disaster, emergency, hurricane, mil, namesake, namesake city, Navy, New York, News, Pentagon, Steel, support, USS, USS New York, ussnewyork, warship, warships, week, WHOLE, width, World Trade Center, wreckage