WEBVTT

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(upbeat rock music)

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^- Hello from your forward deployed Naval Forces,

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^this is Rear Admiral John Alexander,

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^Commander Battle Force 7th Fleet

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coming to you with your recent update.

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We just got back to sea on the fourth of June,

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took airplanes aboard on the sixth,

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starting our carrier qualification with Air Wing Five,

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and we completed COE, certification of efficiency,

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with Air Wing Five here just shortly ago.

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It was the first time I'd seen

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an Air Wing do that in five days.

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An outstanding undertaking.

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We're now operating in the Western Pacific

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and the Philippine Sea.

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The rating crew's been busy

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getting up to speed for patrol,

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the John C. Stennis Strike Group

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has been operating in the South China Sea,

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and just completed the Malabar exercise

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off the coast of Okinawa

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with our Japanese allies and Indian friends.

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They completed a photo ex with 17 ships,

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pretty impressive sight,

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and when they were done with that,

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they joined us in the Philippine Sea

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for some dual carrier operations.

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We had another photo ex with the

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John C. Stennis Strike Group and the

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Ronald Reagan Strike Group,

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and combined Air Wing Nine and Air Wing Five flyover.

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Pretty impressive sight.

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And we did some combined strikes

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and air defense exercises together

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so it was a great opportunity

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to train in high end war fighting.

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Got a couple of other ships doing great things

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out in the western Pacific.

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Barry's in the East China Sea,

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and we've got Stethem just completed CARAT Philippines.

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They've been tacked on to 73.

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Both ships are doing great things for us out here,

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as is DESRON 15.

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We're headed to do some strike training with the Air Wing,

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and get those guys back up to speed,

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and then head out on our way on our summer patrol.

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We look forward to hearing

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from each and every one of you.

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Keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

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This is Admiral Alexander, out of here.