Cocaine and Navy Birthday (Conflation is a lagniappe, y’all)

CARR Families and Friends,

Tiger Cruise Reminder: For our invited guests, if you haven’t done so already please submit your registration and medical forms by tomorrow 15 Oct to our Tiger Cruise Coordinator, LT Beznoska, (ops@ffg52.navy.mil) Another reminder, FRG will host a Halloween Party on Sunday, October 28th 4-6PM at the First Christian Fellowship Church, 3401 Azalea Garden Rd. Norfolk 23513 (this is not the normal FRG location). This will be a potluck, so please RSVP to usscarrfrg@gmail.com and include what you will be bringing. They will have games, costume contest, and goody bags for everyone who attends. OMBUDSMAN contact update; we just had to shut down the Ombudsman cell phone as a result of having to cancel our ship’s credit card in preparation for decommissioning. The best way to reach our Ombudsman is by email at carrombudsman@gmail.com

Day 129 – Sunday, October 7th (VNB, Panama)
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We remained pierside in Vasco Nunez de Balboa while awaiting a critical part for our steering gear to be delivered. Awesome job to our EM’s, ET’s, EM’s and IC’s in rapidly isolating the steering gear faults and getting them repaired expeditiously. Great job to EN3 Ryan Dahl, ETC William Dowe, LT Jon Goodson, IC1 Derek Hotop, EN3 Elvin Lugo, EN1 Andrew Moye, and EMC Aaron O’Brien.

Day 130 – Monday, October 8th (Underway from VNB, Panama)
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We received and installed the part this morning and headed back to our patrol area in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

Day 131 – Tuesday, October 9th
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Air Department completed their phased maintenance on our helicopter and successfully completed a functional check flight this morning to verify everything was within tolerance. This concludes the last significant helicopter maintenance this deployment. By the end of deployment our helicopter detachment will have accumulated 570 hours of control time, conducted 694 takeoffs and landings, and moved more than 57 tons of supplies.

Day 132 – Wednesday, October 10th
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This morning we set up our flight deck small arms range and conducted a proficiency gun shoot. Forty three Sailors were able to reset their proficiency – the next time they have to shoot is post decommissioning.

Day 133 – Thursday, October 11th
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Perseverance paid off today. After finding a panga (small fishing boat) at 0200 and pursuing her, we broke off pursuit as she headed into territorial waters. During the pursuit we observed her abandoning her fishing gear – so on a hunch we went to check it out. Although we were ready to retrieve the gear, it wasn’t quite that simple. Because the fishing net was within the Economic Exclusion Zone of Colombia, we had to ask for permission to retrieve the net. Just as the last rays of sunlight appeared, we got permission to retrieve it. We maneuvered CARR perpendicular to the fishing net (dispersed in a line and supported by 256 colored foam buoys). Once the bow was over the net, we snagged the net with grappling hooks and backed down to ensure it did not get wrapped around our propeller…a very bad thing. Although we are not a fishing boat or trawler, BMCS Kenneth Feagin figured out how to rig it to the capstan and reel it in. Once we had a good portion on deck we used our most effective weapon to get the job done – manpower! Lots of Sailors from Deck Division and Combat Systems were on the foc’sle and hauling the net in – it was approximately 1000yds long and the nets were filled with fish and sharks! Once the haul was on board, our Law Enforcement Detachment probed one of the buoys and discovered cocaine inside. As for the rest of the night, there was lots of careful cutting to be done; each buoy contained two packages of drugs. When we were done, we had seized 324 kgs of cocaine worth approximately 6.5 million dollars. We also recovered five sharks which had been entangled and drowned in the nets along with a mahi-mahi and garfish (a particularly nasty looking fish). We had some photo time with the sharks, and then cast them off into the ocean. Special thanks to CTTSN Sean Booker and IS2 Jeremy Wilson who assisted the LEDET late into the night with the removal of drugs packages from the buoys.

Day 134 – Friday, October 12th
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Congratulations to IT2 Tuan Gross, GSM2 Robert Kirkman, IT1 Brian McCarty, and DC3 Andrew Webb upon earning their Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist qualification today. LS1 Larry Stephens also re-qualified today (even if you have earned your warfare qualification, you must conduct a re-qualification upon reporting to a new class of ship). DC3 Webb was also our Engineer of the Week. DC3 Webb took quick action to fix a leak in our Auxiliary Seawater cooling system which helped maintain our Engineering plant at full operation. Although one day short of the actual Navy birthday, our Navy observed its 237th anniversary. BM1 Marcus Mincey read a message from our Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Greenert. The message follows: “As we celebrate our Navy’s 237th birthday, our history and heritage forms our identity, telling us who we are and what we stand for. Our core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment have been passed down from our founders, who charged the navy with the solemn duty to serve as the shield of our republic. The first real test our Navy faced was during the War of 1812. This war began at sea when United States ships were ordered to heave to upon the high seas and U.S. citizens were forcefully taken, or impressed, into the crews of another nation’s ships. The great battles that followed proved the fighting mettle of our Sailors and the cutting edge of our ship designs. These battles established both free trade and free navigation as crucial national interests of our country, interests that endure to this day. The warrior characteristics of cunning and boldness exhibited in 1812 served as a critical turning point for our Navy. On this 237th birthday of our Navy, we have the honor to serve in the greatest maritime fighting force the world has ever seen, but we do so with responsibility. From the great captains and crews who fought single ship actions in 1812 to the commerce raiders of the Civil War; from the convoys of World War I t other major fleet actions at Coral Sea and Midway; from the blockade of Cuba in October of 1962 to the riverine operations on the Tigris and Euphrates, our navy has boldly and proudly put our shoulder to the wheel. We have championed peace and we continue to shield the republic. Here is to 237 years of proud Naval Heritage, and many more!” Following the reading, we struck eight bells to signal the end of the watch to signify the end to the birthday year and a single bell to ceremoniously signal the start of a new watch; the year ahead.

Day 135 – Saturday, October 13th
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This morning I hosted the Commanding Officer from the Colombian frigate ARC BUENAVENTURA on board. We met to discuss tactics and observations of our recent operations. We are attempting to smooth communications with Colombia to support increased cooperation in our common mission. ==========================================

Jessica Meissner OMBUDSMAN April Linton Co-OMBUDSMAN Jackie Lease FRG President Please join CARR along with our OMBUDSMAN and Family Readiness Group: CARR https://www.facebook.com/FFG52 OMBUDSMAN http://www.facebook.com/pages/USS-CARR- ombudsman/219688138070847?sk=wall CARR Family Readiness Group www.facebook.com/USSCARRFRG Sailors Name Department/Division USS CARR (FFG 52) FPO AE 09566-1506

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Until next Sunday, stay safe CARR Family and Friends!
CDR Patrick Kulakowski
Commanding Officer USS CARR (FFG 52)
“Courage, Will, Determination!”