BY

XANDER GAMBLE

A landing craft air cushion (LCAC) approaches the well deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) after pre-staging 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (24th MEU) assets in Cap Draa, Morocco, before the commencement of Operation African Lion 2012. African Lion 2012 is a bi-lateral training exercise between the United States and the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. Iwo Jima is the flagship of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group is deployed with the embarked 24th MEU in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.

The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and the guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg (CG 69) transit the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Enterprise and Vicksburg are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom.

Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Robert Chittenden signals for an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Swamp Foxes of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 74 to take off from the flight deck of the littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS 2). Sailors from Independence’s Gold crew and embarked Mine Countermeasures Detachment 1 are underway for the ship’s transit to San Diego after successfully completing testing on the mine countermeasures mission package.

Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Juan M. Garcia conducts an all-hands call during a visit to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay to promote sexual assault awareness during the 21st Century Sailor and Marine initiative. The initiative consolidates a set of objectives and policies, new and existing, to maximize Sailor and Marine personal readiness, build resiliency and hone combat effectiveness.