GONZALEZ to the Rescue

Every day of the year the United States Coast Guard rescues people and property all across the United States, on our inland waters and territorial seas, on the high seas, and around the world. During our last training period at sea, GONZALEZ Sailors experienced two opportunities to provide rescue and assistance to other mariners on the high seas and work with the Coast Guard at the same time. On the 8th of November we responded to a distress call from the sailboat Gypsy Dane. Just a few days later, we responded to a second distressed sailboat, the Reina Del Sol. In the case of the Gypsy Dane, GONZALEZ Sailors repaired a completely destroyed rudder post and cut away approximately 50 feet of line tangled around the sailboat’s rudder, shaft, and propeller. Just as we finished our repairs, the Coast Guard Cutter SENECA arrived on the scene and made sure the vessel and master were good to go as we continued on with our training.

On the Reina Del Sol, repairs were not possible, so we towed the sailboat with our 7 meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) and embarked the two crew members for the night until the Coast Guard Cutter SPENCER arrived the next morning. SPENCER took the sailboat under tow for further transfer to the Canadian Coast Guard. All in all, I can’t express well enough in words how proud I was of every GONZALEZ Sailor who participated in our two rescue and assistance missions. The Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander even said he would welcome us into the Coast Guard Fleet as an honorary cutter…as long as we could get just a few more search and rescues under our belt.

Training, Training, Training

One of the questions I often get asked by family and friends is, “What does the ship do while you are in port?” Day for day, it seems that in port we are always much busier than when we are at sea. At the same time, it is actually much easier to explain what we do while we are at sea on deployment rather than explaining what we do all day in port. Primarily our in port days are filled with training and maintaining GONZALEZ in the best material condition possible so we are always ready for any range of mission whether that be a surge deployment, a homeland defense, or a humanitarian assistance/disaster relief call.

During October we were afforded an opportunity to do some training with our installation command, the Norfolk Naval Base. We participated in an Exercise called Citadel Protect 2008. Check out the link to the exercise to read more. GONZALEZ Participates In Citadel Protect

Seafood and Tigers!

On Wednesday, the 1st of October, Fighting Freddy sailed for Morehead City, North Carolina to participate in the 22nd Annual North Carolina Seafood Festival. The morning of our departure we also embarked 37 Tigers – family and friends who joined us the ride down to the Crystal Coast of North Carolina. Our Tigers got to see us put the ship through her paces over the two and half-day transit during which some of the highlights included a gun shoot, damage control drill, F-18 fly-by, and a demonstration of our maximum speed. Mostly, I think the Tigers enjoying seeing their Sailors at work and getting to experience a few days of life at sea on a ship of war.

We arrived at the port of Morehead City early on Friday morning and moored as close to down town as our draft allowed. From the moment of our arrival we participated in a host of Seafood Festival Activities, including the opening ceremonies, the 8K Twin Bridges Race, and the Blessing of the Fleet. We also took the opportunity to visit the Harbor View Towers Nursing Home and volunteer with the North Carolina Coastal Federation. Of course, we also opened up the ship for tours and had almost 2000 festival attendees tour the ship on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

For me personally, following our six month deployment to the Mediterranean, I enjoyed the opportunity to visit a great American city and see GONZALEZ Sailors ashore in their white uniforms. I was very proud to see local folks shake the hands of my Sailors and thank them for their service. At a time when there are concerns about so many things going on in all of our lives, it was an honor to simply be surrounded by such a strong community whose livelihood, like ours, also depends on the seas. Please take a moment to check out some of the local news we generated.

GONZALEZ Sailors Participate in NC Beach Clean Up

News from GONZALEZ Tigers

We're Back!!

We’re back! After a six month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea as part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two, GONZALEZ is home again. And what a homecoming! Not only was it great to see all of our family and friends, but Mrs. Dolia Gonzalez, our sponsor and mother of our namesake Sergeant Freddy Gonzalez, was on the pier to greet us. Even better, the day of our homecoming was also her 79th birthday, and we helped her celebrate in style with a 200 strong chorus of GONZALEZ Sailors in their dress white singing “Happy Birthday’ to her from the bow of the ship. In addition to Commander Second Fleet, Commander Carrier Strike Group Twelve, and Commander Destroyer Squadron Two, we were honored to also be welcomed home by a contingent of Marines, both active duty and retired. To see our entire GONZALEZ family gathered together as one on homecoming was a great reminder of the experience of serving with the best crew in the Navy!

Now that we are home, I intend to update our blog every other week or so to keep our family and friends up to date with all of the great things we will be involved in between now and our next deployment. In case you missed them, enjoy the new links to the media coverage of our homecoming. All the best, Captain.

USS GONZALEZ 4th of July and NATO Change of Command

It is tradition onboard USS Gonzalez for morning reveille on the ship’s announcing circuit to be preceded by a song chosen by the Officer of the Deck, but only when underway, not in port or at anchor. Yet, as Gonzalez swung on her anchor in the Italian port of Taranto on the 4th of July, the ship’s Command Career Counselor, NC1(SW/AW) Lisa Stocks, broke tradition by playing the American National Anthem to wake up the crew. Sailors rose out of their bunks to come to attention at the playing of the National Anthem, and then after the Anthem finished, the Commanding Officer, Commander Brian Fort, directed the crew to remain at attention. He then discharged and re-enlisted OS2(SW) Byron Harris over the same announcing circuit. After morning colors, CDMCM(SW) Keith Thomas re-enlisted IT3(SW) Franklin Fielder on the flight deck, and the Supply Officer, LT Kennis Sigmon, re-enlisted SK2(SW/AW) Mychal Travers in the Supply Support Office. What a great way for three outstanding Gonzalez Sailors to honor our National Day of Independence!
The 4th of July had only just begun for the crew of Gonzalez, however. On the same morning, 40 Gonzalez Sailors assembled on the pier at the Italian Naval Base of Taranto across from the Turkish Flagship, TCG Salehreis, and the Italian Flagship, ITS Luigi Durand De La Penne. Standing in a smart formation with platoons from Turkey, Italy, Greece, and Great Britain, they stood by for the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG-2) Change of Command, in which Italian Navy Rear Admiral Giovanni Gumiero relieved Turkish Navy Rear Admiral Sinan Ertugrul. As is tradition, Rear Admiral Ertugrul commanded SNMG-2 for one year, always at the ready as the NATO Reserve Force and conducting a number of important exercises and operational training program events. During Gonzalez’ participation as the U.S. contribution to the task force, SNMG-2 participated in the Turkish Exercise Mavi Balina and the Italian Exercise Mare Aperto. Rear Admiral Ertugrul also led SNMG-2 through several periods Operation Active Endeavor (OAE) surge operations. As part of OAE, Gonzalez and the ships of SNMG-2 conducted maritime security operations throughout the Mediterranean. Using Automated Information Systems (AIS) carried onboard NATO ships, Gonzalez’ Combat Systems Officer, Lieutenant Brian Maynard summarized the purpose of OAE, “Our goal is to know who is who, and to detour merchant ships from any illegal activity. If we do that then our mission is successful.”
With the operational handover completed, Rear Admiral Gumiero will now lead the SNMG-2 ships into more further OAE missions and a similar training and exercise program. During his Change of Command speech he praised the work of Rear Admiral Ertugrul and the crews of the SNMG-2 ships. For the Gonzalez Sailors in formation on the pier, it was a moment of pride to hear both Admirals talk about how well the task force had performed. FC2(SW) Mona Healey recounted her thoughts, “I was very impressed with the honor Rear Admiral Ertugrul illustrated as he reviewed each platoon and saluted each flag one after the other. The symbolism was amazing especially being the Fourth of July, it was definitely liberating.” As the sun beat down on the band, color guard, and NATO platoons, STG3 Shawn Donahoe explained his feelings as part of the Gonzalez platoon, “It was great being a part of the platoon. Standing at parade rest for 30 minutes in the heat was difficult, but it was an honor to stand there with my shipmates, and all the NATO ships on the 4th of July.”
Gonzalez will conduct one more operational training program at sea and one more period of OAE surge operations with the Italian Flagship, ITS Luigi Durand De La Penne, and HMS Somerset before detaching from NATO and returning home during the NATO Summer Dispersal.

Teaching at a Different PACE

There have been many Navy College Programs Afloat College Education (PACE) Instructors who have walked the passageways of USS Gonzalez over the years, but none quite like Mr. Dennis Saliny. He was a unique PACE Instructor who not only understood the importance of education but also the discipline and dedication of military personnel, particularly those who invest in a higher education while deployed overseas.

A commissioned officer in the United States Army with a Bachelors Degree in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University, he served seven years in the Army including more than two years working with the South Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. As a Vietnam Veteran he was particularly in tune with Gonzalez’ namesake, Sergeant Freddy Gonzalez, who received the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty at the Battle of Hue City during the Vietnam War. Upon his discharge from the Army, Dennis worked for the Western Electric Company, Bell Laboratories, and Motorola, completing a Masters in Business Administration from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. In 2001 he after serving as the Manufacturing Director for the Automotive and Consumer Electronics Group for Motorola, he took an early retirement. Not long after retirement, however, he returned to Northwestern were he taught business and math courses. After four years at Northwestern, he needed a change of pace and a change of environment. In May 2006, Dennis joined the ranks of NC-PACE instructors, having found the perfect opportunity to combine his love for education and his dedication to the military.

Prior to reporting to Gonzalez, Dennis deployed as the NC-PACE Instructor onboard the cruisers USS Shiloh and the Chancellorsville where he taught business and math courses and most recently onboard USS Carter Hall where he taught another math course will deployed to the Horn of Africa. Like all Sailors, he had to learn to make the transition from life ashore to life afloat, getting great support one the home front from his wife, Melva, who also served in Vietnam as an Army MASH nurse. Dennis joined Gonzalez on March 16, 2008 while the ship was at anchor off Antalya, Turkey. From the day he joined, not only his Sailor students, but the entire crew knew he was going to be special – an outstanding shipmate. As the NC-PACE Instructor, he taught College Algebra I and II over the course of his four months onboard. Like the Gonzalez motto, he went “Beyond the Call” of mere instruction. He conducted two teaching sessions a day to ensure that any Sailor who wanted had the opportunity to attend his classes, and he conducted additional study sessions throughout the day so Gonzalez Sailors who may have been having difficulties in some areas would have the opportunity for personal tutoring. Added the Commanding Officer, Commander Brian Fort, “During Dennis’ time as our PACE Instructor, he was truly a member of the crew. He participated in everything we did underway and inport – drills, awards ceremonies, Captain’s Cup events, re-enlistments, fresh water washes, sea and anchor details. He even helped out on working parties and conned the ship for a man overboard drill. You name it, Dennis was there and involved.”

Being deployed with the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG-2) Task Force, Dennis’ devotion wasn’t confined within the bulkheads of Gonzalez either. After seeing Dennis topside during some close order tactical maneuvering the Commanding Officer of the British ship in SNMG-2 asked about the presence of a civilian onboard. After learning of Dennis’ qualifications, HMS Somerset (F82) asked if he might be available to assist some their Sailors as well. He then spent a week onboard the Royal Navy frigate where he conducted a preparatory course helping British Sailors prepare for a mathematics test given by Cambridge University, pertinent to them for either advancement purposes or as a pre-requisite for a GED-like test or college placement upon discharge from the Navy. He held classes twice a day for six days and tutored eight students in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, and beginning Calculus. He even assisted a British Sailor who was taking a physics course as part of a distance learning course.

Dennis further influenced Sailors onboard Gonzalez in teaching them that there is no limit to learning. STG2(SW) Benjamin Lane stated, “Mr. Saliny is a real go getter, and also a very unique instructor whose passion for teaching or passing down any type of knowledge is apparent. Even students who have had little knowledge for math in their previous years were brushing the cobwebs off with ease.”

Of course when asked why he loved to teach Dennis simply smiled and said, “I love and respect the Sailors. They are giving up their free time to do this in addition to working and completing pertinent qualifications. I have been impressed with their interest and dedication.” After a special ceremony to recognize Dennis’ service to Gonzalez, when asked what he liked most about the ship, he added, “I love how the ward room and Chiefs and the Sailors are so close and supportive of each other. I have also had the chance to interact more with the crew onboard this ship.”

Dennis departed Gonzalez and returned to his family with one month left to go in the ship’s deployment. To date, this was his longest period at sea as a NC-PACE Instructor. On behalf of the men and women of Gonzalez, fair winds and following seas to an outstanding instructor, Sailor, and shipmate.

USS Gonzalez Makes Port Visits to Trieste, Italy and Koper, Slovenia

The Norfolk-based guided missile destroyer USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) recently made back-to-back port visits in Trieste, Italy and Koper, Slovenia while part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG-2). Gonzalez, commanded by Commander Brian Fort, is on a routine deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and joined the ships of SNMG-2 in March. In addition to Gonzalez, SNMG-2 is currently comprised of warships from Turkey, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Greece. SNMG-2’s mission is to provide an operationally ready force while serving as part of the Standing Maritime Element for the NATO Response Force (NRF). The SNMG-2 Task Force is commanded by Rear Admiral Sinan Ertugrul, Turkish Navy, embarked on the flagship, TCG Salihreis.

In Trieste, Gonzalez Sailors had their first opportunity to sample some of the best of Italian cuisine. More than half of the crew also enjoyed the opportunity to take the train from Trieste to Venice and enjoy one of the most beautiful and recognized cities in the world. Continuing the theme of international comraderie, the Gonzalez Chief Petty Officers’ Mess accompanied Chiefs from several of the NATO ships in celebrating an April version of Octoberfest onboard the German frigate, FGS Niedersachen.

In Koper, Gonzalez hosted several distinguished visitors, conducted tours for local guests, and hosted the NATO Force Reception on behalf of CSNMG-2. Among the distinguished visitors were the Slovenian Minister of Defense, Mr. Karl Erjaven, Chief of Slovenian General Staff, General Albin Gutman, and Koper’s Deputy Mayor. During the tours onboard Gonzalez, over 100 Slovenian naval personnel from the 430th Slovenian Naval Detachment and 75 students and faculty from the maritime academy enjoyed learning about the American destroyer.

The highlight of the ship’s port visit to Koper was hosting the NATO Force Reception for over 125 guests. In addition to officers and Chief Petty Officers from the NATO sister ships, Gonzalez hosted Slovenian military personnel and several American Embassy guests, including the Charge d’Affairs, Maryruth Coleman, and acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Grace Shelton. Other distinguished guests included the Turkish and German Ambassadors to Slovenia. Gonzalez Sailors beamed with pride to open their ship to such a broad range of multi-national guests. Culinary Specialist Third Class Julie Clark noted that the reception “reminded me of how much our Navy is committed to an atmosphere of excellence. I was proud to welcome visitors from other countries to show them how professional we are.” Ship’s Serviceman Seaman Recruit Staton added that “being part of the reception was the coolest thing I’ve ever done in the Navy.”

The two port visits also allowed Gonzalez Sailors the opportunity to say farewell to Sailors of the Greek frigate, HS Hydra while continuing to get to enjoy knowing their NATO shipmates. Although Trieste and Koper are sister ports, separated by only a few miles, the SNMG-2 ships sailed overnight between the ports. The overnight sailing providing an excellent opportunity for a traditional NATO Sail Past Exercise in which the departing Greek frigate sailed past Gonzalez the other ships at a close interval. In addition to rendering honors, Gonzalez Sailors said farewell with music from the ship’s band and a damage control exercise, including a display of the ship’s long range firemain capability. After bidding farewell to HS Hydra, in Koper Gonzalez served as the host ship to welcome the newest ship to join SNMG-2, HS Kountouriotis. Several Gonzalez Sailors also joined in on another international sports competition against the Slovenian Navy in soccer and volleyball. Fifteen Gonzalez Sailors also attended a SNMG-2 tour to the caves at Postojna and the capital city of Ljubljana, and while not touring the sites of Slovenia, Gonzalez Sailors enjoyed liberty with their NATO shipmates in the resort city of Portoroz.

Since joining SNMG-2, Gonzalez has made other port visits in Spain, Turkey, Israel, and Greece. The ship is currently in Palermo, Italy preparing to host NATO Parliamentarians and getting ready for their next big, multi-national exercise, Mare Aperto 2008. Gonzalez departed her homeport of Norfolk, Virginia in February and expects to return from her routine six-month deployment in August and rejoin Destroyer Squadron Two.