YOKOSUKA, Japan – The forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105) received the 2023 Battle Effectiveness Award, May 22 for the second year in a row.
Capt. Justin Harts, Commander, Destroyer Squadron 15, presented the award to Dewey’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Nicholas Maruca, during an all-hands call on the ship’s flight deck.
“Dewey leads the charge for the forward-deployed destroyers in U.S. Seventh Fleet,” said Harts. “This is a demanding fleet, and Dewey has faced the challenges head-on. I know they will continue to evolve as we train and operate together with our partners and allies in the region, as our collective success is essential to maintaining security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”
The Battle Effectiveness Award, colloquially known as the Battle ‘E’, recognizes sustained superior performance in critical mission areas including maritime warfare, material readiness, medical and damage control readiness, engineering, communications, information warfare, logistics, and safety.
“This award is a reflection of the hard work and dedication from every member of the crew,” said Maruca. “We will continue to strive for excellence as we embrace the challenges and opportunities this fleet has to offer.”
In addition to awarding Dewey the Battle ‘E’, Harts presented an award to the crew on behalf of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force for their coordination in Surface Warfare Advance Tactical Training (SWATT) and awarded Lt. Elijah Jones, navigator aboard Dewey, and Chief Logistics Specialist Edgar Benjamin Cruz the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
Dewey is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.