Vice Adm. Daniel Dwyer, commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet and Joint Force Command Norfolk, embarked the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), June 8-10.
Dwyer visited the flagship and the supporting staffs of the George H.W. Bush CSG while underway completing Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), the final certification for deploying carrier strike groups.
“My mission as commander of 2nd Fleet is to defend the East Coast of the United States from all maritime avenues of approach,” Dwyer said. “To do that, I will use our certified and trained naval forces, which include the center piece of our naval forces, our carrier strike group.”
This was not Dwyer’s first time on the ship. He served aboard George H.W. Bush as a pilot of the attached carrier air wing.
“It seems like just yesterday I was flying from the flight deck from this mighty warship during her maiden deployment,” Dwyer said. “I thought we had our war-face on then, but I am incredibly impressed by what I have seen being back with all of you. The enthusiasm, motivation, and warrior spirit that every member of this great team has exhibited has been great to see.”
This COMPTUEX features the third iteration of a NATO vignette, a period of time a CSG trains while operating under NATO command and control.
Italian destroyer ITS Caio Dulio (D 554), Brazilian submarine BNS Tikuna (S-34), and Columbian submarine ARC Tayrona (S-29) joined the strike group for the exercise, emphasizing the strengthening of defense partnerships and capabilities between the U.S. and bilateral or multilateral partners.
“As we are watching very closely the events unfolding on NATO’s eastern flank with Russia’s illegal military action in Ukraine, it is incumbent upon us, the United States, the United States Navy, and all of our allied partners to show resolve against that illegal aggression,” Dwyer said.
The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group is comprised of George H.W. Bush, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7, Destroyer Squadron 26, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), and its Information Warfare Commander.
“We are embracing the challenges faced in this exercise and using them as an opportunity to learn, grow, and develop as a team,” said Rear Adm. Dennis Velez, commander, CSG-10, George H.W. Bush CSG. “Every Sailor in our strike group stands ready to defend our nation anytime, anyplace we are called.”
Once certification is complete, the George H.W. Bush Strike Group will be assignable world-wide.
“This is our final step in being a fully deployable United States warship,” said Capt. David Pollard, commanding officer of George H.W. Bush. “Once we are complete with COMPTUEX, the George H.W. Bush CSG will be certified ready for deployment. But I say, we are ready now. We are ready to answer our nation’s call. We are ready to defend the men, women, and children of the United States of America. We are the warriors, leaders, teachers and ambassadors that represent the American people. We will represent our families, our communities, and our nation with pride while exemplifying our namesake’s legacy of service, grit, humility, and resilience.”
George H.W. Bush provides the national command authority flexible, tailorable warfighting capability as the flagship of a carrier strike group that maintains maritime stability and security to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied and partner interests.
The George H. W. Bush CSG is an integrated combat weapons system that delivers superior combat capability to deter, and if necessary, defeat America's adversaries in support of national security.