Deployment Summary

I'm back from deployment and would love to post pictures of it but my laptop died before I could backup the photos. I have a couple options to get them back, but it'll take some time. Anyway, it was a busy 7.5 months with both diplomatic support and Counter-Piracy Operations as a part of Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO. Laboon visited
Sigonella, IT
Alexandria, EG
Haifa, IS
Thessaloniki, GR
Lisbon, PO
Malaga, SP
Souda Bay, GR (at least 10 times; it's a logistics hub)
Taranto, IT
Split, CR
Muscat, OM
Djibouti, DJ

I'd recommend any of them except Djibouti; that's a hellhole. The counter-piracy stuff was fascinating, as we were among the first on station, so we were developing the tactics as we learned. Very interesting interactions with many other nations, including a conversation with a Russian task group that would not have occurred if we were operating as a US ship rather than NATO.

I'm glad to be back!! And even more glad to be on vacation! I'll post some pics if I get my laptop harddrive back up and running.