Free Republic

Tony Ornato, the Secret Service’s assistant director who became a central figure during a Jan. 6 committee hearing in which he reportedly told a witness that former President Trump was “irate,” has left the agency. Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service’s communications chief, confirmed Ornato’s departure to The Hill, adding that he retired after 25 years of service.

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says he would not have used the same language that Eric Holder did last month when the attorney general declared that the United States is a nation of cowards on matters of race. "We've made enormous progress and we shouldn't lose sight of that," Obama told The New York Times in an interview posted on the newspaper's Web site Saturday. The president said he understood Holder to be saying the country often is uncomfortable talking about race until there's a racial flare-up or conflict and that the nation probably could be more constructive in facing...

USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea (NNS) -- The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW)1 departed Naval Station Norfolk, Va., May 2 for a regularly scheduled six-month deployment. Enterprise is the flagship for the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group, which includes the USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), USS McFaul (DDG 74), USS Nicholas (FFG 47), all based in Norfolk, the USS Alexandria (SSN 757), homeported in Groton, Conn., and USNS Supply (T-AOE-6), homeported in Earle, N.J. The nearly 7,500 Sailors in the strike group will conduct operations in the Middle East in support of the global...

ABOARD USS NASSAU, At Sea (NNS) -- Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 8 transited through the Suez Canal April 7, marking the end of more than four months of maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. ESG 8, composed of the five ships and one submarine in the USS Nassau (LHA 4) Strike Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU (SOC)), deployed Nov. 4 from Norfolk, Va., as part of a routine deployment of forces. While conducting operations in 5th Fleet, the ESG continuously displayed unique capabilities and continuous flexibility. From serving as...

ABOARD USS TARAWA, At sea in the Indian Ocean (NNS) -- Four thousand Sailors and Marines of Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 1 entered the 7th Fleet area of operations Jan. 12 en route to their homeport of San Diego after completing their assigned mission in the 5th Fleet region. The ESG-1 flagship, USS Tarawa (LHA 1), the amphibious transport dock USS Cleveland (LPD 7), the amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) and the embarked Marines of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit spent more than four months in-theatre. “ESG-1 was simply impressive,” said Vice Adm. Patrick Walsh, Commander...

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) departed San Diego Jan. 4 on a deployment to conduct naval operations in support of the global war on terrorism, as well as national and theater cooperative security commitments in the western Pacific. This will be the maiden deployment for the Navy’s newest Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. “During both COMPTUEX (Composite Unit Training Exercise) and JTFEX (Joint Task Force Exercise), Ronald Reagan and CVW (Carrier Air Wing) 14 proved to be a formidable fighting force,” said Rear Adm. Michael H. Miller, Ronald Reagan Strike Group commander. “Both of these major exercise,...

LOS ANGELES (AP) - After a humiliating election loss, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger this weekend jets to China and Hong Kong where he'll try to exchange his blistered campaign image for the role of celebrity statesman and retailer. Officially, the Republican governor's long-scheduled, six-day tour will take him to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong to promote trade along the Pacific Rim. He'll arrive Monday with a retinue of nearly 80 corporate and business executives eager to sell products from pharmaceuticals to chardonnay to Mickey Mouse in the world's largest emerging market. A business-connected foundation is picking up part of the trip's...

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (NNS) -- The hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) departed Pascagoula, Miss., Sept. 20 after spending ten days providing medical and dental care, and disaster relief assistance to the citizens of Pascagoula and surrounding areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. As Hurricane Rita approaches the Gulf of Mexico region, many Navy assets in the Gulf region are preparing to get underway to ride out the storm. “Our ship must leave to be in a position to be out of the storm’s path in time,” said Ship's Master Capt. Tom Finger. Despite the early exit from Pascagoula, Comfort leadership is...