USS Gerald R. Ford Returns Home After Lengthy Deployment
As the USS Gerald R. Ford sailed into Norfolk, its crew was met with jubilant cheers from thousands of family members and friends. This warm reception marks the beginning of a transition period for sailors, who have been at sea for almost a year, navigating both personal and professional challenges.
After enduring nearly a year-long deployment, which included a fire and sewage system problems, the crew of the USS Gerald R. Ford received a hero’s welcome. “Man, I’m just happy she back on U.S. soil,” expressed Helenna Parrish, who spotted her daughter Asia, a culinary specialist on the ship. “I’m happy she back – and all of them, really, all of them,” she added.
The Ford’s extensive journey ranged from the coast of Venezuela to the Red Sea amid the conflict with Iran. The crew sailed a distance equivalent to three laps around the Earth before their return. Brittany Hyder, whose husband Mack is an aviation ordnanceman on the ship, shared her anticipation, “These kids are ready for their dad to come home, and I’m ready for a break (laughter). It’s long, and I’m ready for my husband to come home.”
The Navy’s tradition of a hero’s welcome serves practical purposes as well, easing the transition from life aboard the ship to life back home. Carl Castro, a professor at USC and director of the Military and Veterans Programs, emphasized, “You want them coming off that ship thinking that every minute they were on that ship was worth it, and they would do it again.” This helps build resilience among sailors.
USS Ford’s deployment broke post-Vietnam records for its length. Carl Castro anticipates a 30- to 40-day “honeymoon period” before the reality of home life sets in, potentially straining relationships. He advises families to gradually return to their routines, and suggests the Navy offer ample time off for sailors. Rear Admiral Gavin Duff mentioned that since the ship left Norfolk on June 24, approximately 80 children were born to sailors in the Strike Group.
“Some are going to read their kids books as they fall asleep tonight or rock their newborns,” Duff noted. “But fundamentally, we’re going to reconnect and reintegrate, and that’s where our focus is going to be for the next several weeks.”
Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Caudle acknowledged the need to reduce deployment lengths, which have been increasing. Jalyssa De La Rosa, who waited for her partner Omar Mora while holding their 4-month-old son, shared her experience of the deployment. “It’s been emotional. You know, he left when I was 10 weeks pregnant. So, you know, I went through the whole pregnancy, you know, by myself. He missed the birth,” she recounted.
De La Rosa, also a sailor, remarked on the hardships faced during the deployment, “Honestly, I think deployments should be no more than seven months. Almost a year out to sea is very depressing – overworking, you know, especially the plumbing issues, the fire. You know, it was very low morale for everybody. So I know everybody’s glad to be at home.”
Following its return, the USS Gerald R. Ford will undergo maintenance.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
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