BAY OF CADIZ – (March 18, 2026) U.S. Navy MH-60R Seahawks attached to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 79 “Griffins” conduct flight operations aboard the Juan Carlos I-class aircraft carrier landing helicopter dock SPS Juan Carlos I (L 61) during interoperability exercises with the Spanish Armada, March 18, 2026. The “Griffins” of HSM 79 deploy combat ready detachments to conduct Joint Maritime Operations in support of Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jonathan P. Nye)
Navy Chief Logistics Specialist Nathaniel Whitten, a 20-year veteran, has achieved a remarkable milestone by earning his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in history. Balancing his naval duties with rigorous academic research, Whitten's dedication to service and scholarship is an inspiration to his fellow sailors. With a family history of military service and a career marked by deployments, awards, and leadership roles, Whitten's PhD is a testament...
Operation Specialist 1st Class, Ueldiv Ortiz Santiago, a U.S. Navy Reserve Sailor assigned to Navy Reserve Center El Paso and a native of Orocovis, Puerto Rico, demonstrated quick thinking and compassion when he stopped to assist a wheelchair-bound woman in distress in El Paso, Texas. Ortiz Santiago called 911, administered first aid, and stayed by the woman’s side until first responders arrived.
Naval Station Rota hosted Exercise MAGRE 25-1 with Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Mobile Unit 8 (EODMU8) detachment Europe and Spanish Armada underwater mine countermeasure units from Cadiz and Cartagena, March 24-28, 2025.
