CNO, MCPON Visit NSA Bahrain

Courtesy Photo | CNO Adm. Gary Roughead, speaks with sailors, Marines, soldiers stationed in Bahrain during an all-hands call at Naval Support Activity, Bahrain. Roughead addressed about the Navy of today and tomorrow, and also answered questions. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Anderson Bomjardim)  

MANAMA, BAHRAIN

01.18.2011

Courtesy Story

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet           

By Petty Officer 1st Class Sonja M. Chambers

MANAMA, Bahrain - The Chief of Naval Operations and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy visited sailors and Marines at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Jan. 18.

CNO Adm. Gary Roughead held an all-hands call with MCPON Rick West to answer questions about tuition assistance, computer-based training and the physical fitness assessment.

"PFA and health and fitness is something you have to take on board yourself," West said. "You can't just rely on the program we have embedded in the military. It's about personal and individual results as well."

West, who had already been interacting with sailors in Bahrain for three days, ran with a group of NSA Bahrain sailors that morning. Petty Officer 1st Class Adrianne Burton, NSA Bahrain Sailor of the Year, said she was honored to meet MCPON and that she was impressed by his use of electronic media to keep in touch with Sailors.

"It's not just another person answering for him, he actually reaches out to his sailors and he's always providing information on his Facebook page," she said. "No matter where he is, if he's on assignment or reaching out to other sailors, you always see his constant presence within the enlisted community."

During a press conference with local media, Roughead answered questions about counter-piracy, the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Navy's relationship with Bahrain.

"We are grateful and we're very honored to be able to have the relationship that we have with Bahrain and be able to have a country that is supportive of our efforts to bring security and stability to this very important part of the world," he said.

"I'm very grateful of the way that the regional navies have begun to expand their leadership roles. Bahrain has now taken command of a maritime task force, this is the second time, which I think is huge and is indicative of the commitment Bahrain has and the leadership role they play."

Roughead said he's looking forward to going back to Iraq and Afghanistan to see the progress made in those countries.

"I'm very proud of the work our militaries do in both countries," he said.
"I'm obviously extraordinarily proud of the work that my Navy is doing there, which is somewhat of an unusual role to have thousands of Sailors on the ground. But I think it speaks volumes about the quality and the character of the young men and women that serve to be able to go into an environment that is very unusual to us and be able to work with the citizens to improve their lives."

Roughead and West left Bahrain and continued on to visit Sailors at forward-deployed units operating in the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command area of responsibility.

• Date Taken: 01.18.2011
• Date Posted: 01.19.2011 08:43
• Story ID: 63792
• Location: MANAMA, BH