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USS Ronald Reagan officially joins the battle in Iraq
Stars and Stripes ^ | February 25, 2006 | Sandra Jontz

Posted on 02/24/2006 8:25:22 PM PST by Former Military Chick

Jets from the USS Ronald Reagan officially joined the fight in Iraq on Wednesday as two F/A-18E Hornets launched from the flight deck and dropped ordnance on enemy targets, Navy officials said.

“We launched our first combat sorties two days ago and have had great results supporting the Operation Iraqi Freedom and our maritime support obligations,” the carrier’s commanding officer, Capt. Terry Kraft, said in an e-mail Friday.

The Reagan, the Navy’s newest and most advanced nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, is on its maiden operational deployment. It recently arrived in the Navy’s 5th Fleet area of operations to support the U.S. military’s ongoing missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Our air wing is comprised of the most advanced aircraft in the world and is a key player in deterring aggression from the insurgency within Iraq,” Rear Adm. Michael Miller, commander of Carrier Strike Group 7, said in a statement.

In addition to having the best aircraft, the carrier has all the state-of-the art bells and whistles that make it a superior fighting machine, sailors said.

It’s those quality-of-life perks that make living on board all that much better, sailors say. Perks like the 800-ton air-conditioning plant that keeps sailors comfortable, Petty Officer 1st Class Chip Land, a hull technician, said in a phone interview Friday.

“We’re the only ship with one, and it’s great,” said the 10-year veteran. “Everyone is really pleased with it. The temperature is right, and it’s easy to control. It really improves the quality of life.”

And if it weren’t for the other ships in the Reagan’s carrier strike group that need the service of the hull technicians, Land and his crew might not have too much to do during their shifts, he joked.

“This a great ship with the newest technology, and we don’t have to do many repairs on a brand-new ship. I once worked on a 30-year-old ship … and it needed a lot of maintenance, a lot of repairs. This is nice.”

The Reagan has state-of-art communication and computer systems sailors use for e-mails and browsing the Web, Petty Officer 1st Class Mario Fernandez said.

“Back on my first ship, we were lucky to have a 28,800 modem. People would put e-mails on a floppy (disc) and they’d be loaded onto one computer and we’d hit send. It took hours to send e-mails,” said the 12-year veteran, who first sailed aboard the guided missile frigate USS Jarrett.

“Now, we have technology to support having many people simultaneously using e-mail, searching the Web, and to top all that, conduct our mission. We’ve come a long way.”

Airman Rashawn Wright, 22, an aviation mechanic, said he sees just one thing he’d change about his maiden deployment. “I’d bring my family.”


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: gwot; iraq; shipmovement; usn; ussronaldreagan
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May they find success and a safe return home!!
1 posted on 02/24/2006 8:25:25 PM PST by Former Military Chick
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To: Former Military Chick

Amen, and good post.

Rel: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Feb2006/20060224_4301.html


2 posted on 02/24/2006 8:30:00 PM PST by Bald Eagle777 (1) Honor God. 2) Honor your parents. 3) anti-Christian Secularism in the West has to "go")
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To: Former Military Chick
Score one more for the GIPPER!
3 posted on 02/24/2006 8:34:25 PM PST by Rabble (Just When is John F sKerry going to release his USNR military records ?)
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To: Former Military Chick

Bump!


4 posted on 02/24/2006 8:37:24 PM PST by auboy
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To: Rabble

Mr. President, You are the Steel deck beneath my feet!


5 posted on 02/24/2006 8:38:30 PM PST by ExcursionGuy84 ("Jesus, Your Love takes my breath away.")
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To: Former Military Chick


6 posted on 02/24/2006 8:40:53 PM PST by Reagan Man (Secure our borders;punish employers who hire illegals;stop all welfare to illegals)
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To: Former Military Chick
Image hosting by Photobucket
7 posted on 02/24/2006 8:41:53 PM PST by Nasty McPhilthy (Those who beat their swords into plow shears….will plow for those who don’t.)
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To: Nasty McPhilthy

Give em hell Ronnie!


8 posted on 02/24/2006 8:45:12 PM PST by rip033 (.)
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To: Former Military Chick

I will always remember Ronald Reagan's speach on behalf of Barry Goldwater. I became a conservative then and there (in a democratic depression era family) and over the years I converted my brother, parents and before they died, my grandparents and possibly many others.

"Long may his story be told..."


9 posted on 02/24/2006 8:49:17 PM PST by Prost1 (Sandy Berger can steal, Clinton can cheat, but Bush can't listen!)
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To: Former Military Chick

Cool. I hope she lives up to her namesake. Not that she might not, but the namesake is just, well, Reagan.


10 posted on 02/24/2006 8:50:18 PM PST by CodeToad
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To: Former Military Chick

Thanks for the post. I watched the official USS Reagan homeporting here in San Diego and can walk up the street
some blocks and look out at it when she is at home.

Also for those on FR who like to bash California. Remember, Reagan was our Calif. Gov. and the USS Reagan
and its planes are based here in San Diego.


11 posted on 02/24/2006 8:50:33 PM PST by SoCalPol (Hillary kvetching is like Jack the Ripper moralizing to my neuro surgeon)
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To: CodeToad

Very well said, thank you for adding the comment to the thread. :)


12 posted on 02/24/2006 8:51:09 PM PST by Former Military Chick
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To: Former Military Chick

“This a great ship with the newest technology, and we don’t have to do many repairs on a brand-new ship. I once worked on a 30-year-old ship … and it needed a lot of maintenance, a lot of repairs. This is nice.”

rofl! He must not of been aboard when the ship was delivered. What a mess it was to get her into shape. The Union strike at Newport really effected the craftmanship of the ship. But after a year and half of redoing everything she is in prime fighting condition.


13 posted on 02/24/2006 8:55:11 PM PST by miliantnutcase
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To: No Longer Free State; TSchmereL; GeorgiaDawg32; frankiep; txroadkill; Brilliant; ...
PING

030712-N-4616B-008 Norfolk, Va. (July 12, 2003) -- USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) ship’s sponsor and Former First Lady, Nancy Reagan, is greeted by an appreciative audience as she orders the men and women of the USS Ronald Reagan to “bring the ship to life” at the commissioning ceremony of the Navy’s newest Nimitz-class aircraft carrier named in honor of her husband, Ronald Reagan. The ship was commissioned into naval service during a traditional Navy ceremony aboard Naval Station Norfolk, Va. Ronald Reagan is named after the 40th President of the United States, and is the ninth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. The ship’s motto is “Peace Through Strength” a phrase coined by President Reagan who is widely credited for bring an end to the Cold War, and rebuilding the U.S. military. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Rusty Black. (RELEASED

14 posted on 02/24/2006 8:58:14 PM PST by Former Military Chick
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To: Former Military Chick
“Back on my first ship, we were lucky to have a 28,800 modem. People would put e-mails on a floppy (disc) and they’d be loaded onto one computer and we’d hit send. It took hours to send e-mails,” said the 12-year veteran, who first sailed aboard the guided missile frigate USS Jarrett.

That's a nice bit of tech! I sure wish that kind of system had been around during my days aboard the USS Independence (82-84). Typical turn-around time between sending a letter home and receiving a reply was about two weeks.We sure did love to hear mail call announced over the 1MC!

15 posted on 02/24/2006 8:58:56 PM PST by Denver Ditdat (Melting solder since 1975)
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To: Reagan Man

16 posted on 02/24/2006 9:04:32 PM PST by Former Military Chick
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To: Former Military Chick

Nice. The calm before the storm.


17 posted on 02/24/2006 9:09:27 PM PST by Reagan Man (Secure our borders;punish employers who hire illegals;stop all welfare to illegals)
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To: Former Military Chick; All
Bump!



Pacific Ocean, July 25, 2005 — USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) performs a high speed run during operations in the Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class James Thierry)
18 posted on 02/24/2006 9:12:12 PM PST by Gucho
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To: Former Military Chick

Pretty impressive!


19 posted on 02/24/2006 9:43:14 PM PST by SmithL (Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.)
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To: Former Military Chick
Ann and I at Reagans Resting place Give um Hell Gipper


20 posted on 02/24/2006 9:49:52 PM PST by al baby (Father of the Beeber)
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