Pacific Briefs

Ammunition ship USNS Flint conducted an ammunition download from aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in early April.

Dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Sacagawea completed its initial sea trials off the Southern California coast and left for Sealift Logistics Command Atlantic April 28. The ship arrived in Norfolk, Va., May 3.

Fleet ocean tug USNS Navajo picked up the ex-USS Salt Lake City in Panama and towed the decommissioned nuclear submarine to Bremerton, Wash.

Fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser left the benign weather of Southern California behind and headed to the Gulf of Alaska to support Operation Northern Edge, while fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Ericsson packed away its MidPac oiler aloha shirts to visit Esquimalt, British Columbia, prior to supporting the bi-lateral Exercise Trident Fury with the Canadian Navy.

Hospital ship USNS Mercy completed its Ships Material Assessment of Readiness and Training examination with flying colors in late April.

While underway for SMART, Mercy's Medical Treatment Facility hosted a group of Los Angelesarea disaster response leaders for discussions on potential military assistance to civilian authorities in the event of natural or man-made disasters.

Ships master Capt. Mike Grogan was relieved by Capt. Bob Holley on USNS Flint. Ships master Capt. Mark Wilson was relieved by Capt. Mike Leahy on fleet replenishment oiler USNS Yukon.

SEALOGPAC welcomes Navy Operations Specialist 2nd Class Victor Holland to USNS Yukon, Navy Electronics Technician 1st Class Matthew Abbot to combat stores ship USNS Niagara Falls, Navy Operations Specialist 2nd class Richard Gross to fleet replenishment oiler USNS Guadalupe, Navy Operations Specialist 2nd class Monique Hudson to USNS Ericsson and Navy Operations Specialist Chief Anthony Hutchinson to USNS Yukon. Capt. Kurt Storey, a Navy Reservist from MSC's Expeditionary Port Unit 116 in Seattle, reported aboard SEALOGPAC to serve as operations officer in May pending assignment of a permanent relief for Navy Cmdr. Gene Romig.

Navy Information Systems Technician Chief Petty Officer Gene Detweiler returned from his year as an individual augmentee in Iraq. Detweiler served as the information warfare watch officer, assisting in the detection and disabling of improvised explosive devices.

Navy Information Systems Technician Chief Petty Officer James Seay earned a Baccalaureate Degree in Information Technology.

SEALOGPAC bids farewell to Navy Cmdr. Gene Romig, Sealift Logistics Command Pacific's Operations Officer since April 2004, retired after 26 years of distinguished naval service; Navy Cmdr. Doug Glessner, senior officer of MSC's SMART Inspection Team, transferred to amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu as chief engineer, just in time to make the big amphibious ship's 2006 humanitarian assistance cruise; Navy Storekeeper Chief Petty Officer Francisco Garcia transferred from SEALOGPAC back to sea in the Navy's littoral combat community; and Navy Operations Specialist 2nd Class Melvin Clay returned to sea duty onboard cruiser USS Chancellorsville.