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USS STOUT, At Sea - When USS Stout deployed from Norfolk last December, few could have guessed that she would be asked to assist with a coalition of partner nations to stop violence in Libya. Stout’s primary mission in the Mediterranean Sea is ballistic missile defense, but when Libyans rose up against Libyan leader Muammar al-Qadhafi, Stout and her crew were rerouted to conduct the initial strikes of Operation Odyssey Dawn.
“We’re built to do multiple missions,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Jeramy Spivey, sonar technician (surface). “Rapidly shifting from ballistic missile defense to strike operations is proof that Stout is ready for anything.” Spivey, whose day job as a sonar technician detecting, analyzing and locating targets of interest, was operating a camera Saturday night capturing the images of Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles launching from the ship’s bow.
No one can attest more to the complete change of pace than the ship’s strike team. “We’ve practiced the mission dozens of times,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Gonzalez, fire controlman, one of the sailors operating the weapon systems on the strike team. “To do it for real demonstrates what the crew can do when called upon.”
For the Stout, many of her crew aboard were able to witness the initial TLAM launches, especially the ship’s bridge watchstanders, with front-row seats separated only by the glass of the ship’s pilothouse.
“We witnessed history in the making tonight. It is nice to know that we contributed to the world’s effort to protect innocent civilians in Libya,” said Seaman Nathan Wade whose role as helmsman kept the ship on her proper course during the operation.
In preparing for Saturday night’s mission, the crew all seemed aware that the many drills they ran in support of engineering, damage control, weapons and combat systems were absolutely essential to mission readiness.
“Stout is energized like never before and we are ready for the next mission,” said Command Master Chief Anthony Cole.
“Arleigh Burke once said, ‘This ship was built to fight. You’d better know how,’” said Cmdr. Sly Steele, the ship’s commanding officer. “That is a concept we take very seriously in Stout.”
But the hard work continues for Stout and her crew who still have a few more months in the Mediterranean.
| Date Taken: | 03.20.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.20.2011 12:21 |
| Story ID: | 67410 |
| Location: | USS STOUT, USAFRICOM, AT SEA |
| Web Views: | 1,244 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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