On April 17, fleet ocean tug USNS Catawba quickly moved more than 110,000 pounds of USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike group high-priority cargo from Bahrain to the United Arab Emirates. A series of aircraft maintenance issues and airfield restrictions grounded the Commander, Task Force 53 air logistics assets in Bahrain, leaving seven strike fighter aircraft engines stranded there. The ship and crew of Catawba responded to no-notice tasking and were successfully able to load the critically needed cargo and get underway en route to the port of Jebal Ali within four hours of notification. Cargo arrived at the port in time to meet the consolidated load out with Military Sealift Command's fast combat support ship USNS Arctic and the scheduled replenishment at sea event with Stennis. Catawba's efforts enabled the carrier strike group missions to continue without delay.
Arctic departed the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations following a successful deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, the global war on terrorism and maritime security operations. Arctic provided outstanding support to British, German, Pakistani, French, Italian and Canadian naval forces, as well as USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and USS John C. Stennis carrier strike groups. Arctic played a vital role in keeping coalition forces combat ready. The ship and crew conducted 117 underway replenishments in support of operations spanning from the Northern Arabian Gulf to the Horn of Africa. Arctic provided more than 23 million gallons of fuel in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations.
Commander, Task Force 53 welcomes aboard Navy Lt. Cmdr. Timothy Rafferty, assistant operations officer; Navy Lt. Alex Kaczur, budgeting officer; Navy Lt. j.g. Brendan Casey, air terminal operations center officer; Navy Lt. j.g. Ryan Monroe, air routing officer; and Navy Chief Warrant Officer 4th Class Darrell Champion, administrative officer.
The command bids farewell to Navy Lt. Adam Guthrie, air terminal operations center officer; and Navy Chief Warrant Officer 3rd Class Michelle Hughes, administrative officer; after completing their one-year forward-deployed tour in Bahrain. Sealift Logistics Command Central Commander Navy Capt. Glen R. Sears II presented both staff members with the Navy Commendation Medal.
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