thedrifter
10-04-07, 01:33 PM
More than 200 Marines and approximately 5,500 sailors returned home here Sept. 30, after a seven-month deployment aboard the USS Nimitz.
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 and a detachment from Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11 deployed with the Nimitz, which is part of Carrier Strike Group 11, dropping ordnance in both Iraq and Afghanistan, while logging approximately 2,400 flight hours.
“While deployed, the Marines supported coalition forces in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, participating in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Hunter H. Hobson, the commanding officer of VMFA-232. “The Marines put forth a lot of effort the entire deployment to succeed in our mission.”
While deployed, the units also participated in exercises Valiant Shield and Malabar 2007, both designed to increase operational readiness in combat situations.
Valiant Shield is a multi-service exercise with the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, while Exercise Malabar is a multi-national exercise with Japan, Australia, India and several others.
The Marines aboard the Nimitz recorded a 100 percent combat sortie completion rate, which Hobson said he has never seen before.
A combat sortie completion rate is the percentage of how many flights leave the deck compared to how many flights are on the flight schedule.
Given the average age of the aircraft belonging to the squadron, the completion rate is a “huge deal,” according to Hobson.
Before VMFA-232 deployed, they received ten F/A-18A+ Hornets that needed significant maintenance before being deemed combat-ready. The squadron repaired and deployed all ten of the Hornets.
“The jets were pretty beat up when we got them. It took a lot of work to get them up and flying,” said Hobson. “They’re the oldest F/A-18’s used in the Marine Corps.”
“The Marines did a great job in ensuring all the jets kept flying,” said Sgt. Maj. Guy T. Frazier, the squadron sergeant major for MALS-11.
“We couldn’t be more proud of our Marines and happy to have them home,” added Frazier.
Marines from both squadrons will be afforded a 96-hour liberty period and the opportunity to take additional leave to see family and friends before returning to work.
VMFA-232 will be making a four-month turnaround, before re-deploying with the Nimitz in January 2008.
Angelina Franks, fiancé of Lance Cpl. Christopher Murray, a plane captain with VMFA-232 was especially excited to see Murray return to MCAS Miramar.
Murray came home just ten days after the birth of the couple’s first child.
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 and a detachment from Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11 deployed with the Nimitz, which is part of Carrier Strike Group 11, dropping ordnance in both Iraq and Afghanistan, while logging approximately 2,400 flight hours.
“While deployed, the Marines supported coalition forces in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, participating in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Hunter H. Hobson, the commanding officer of VMFA-232. “The Marines put forth a lot of effort the entire deployment to succeed in our mission.”
While deployed, the units also participated in exercises Valiant Shield and Malabar 2007, both designed to increase operational readiness in combat situations.
Valiant Shield is a multi-service exercise with the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, while Exercise Malabar is a multi-national exercise with Japan, Australia, India and several others.
The Marines aboard the Nimitz recorded a 100 percent combat sortie completion rate, which Hobson said he has never seen before.
A combat sortie completion rate is the percentage of how many flights leave the deck compared to how many flights are on the flight schedule.
Given the average age of the aircraft belonging to the squadron, the completion rate is a “huge deal,” according to Hobson.
Before VMFA-232 deployed, they received ten F/A-18A+ Hornets that needed significant maintenance before being deemed combat-ready. The squadron repaired and deployed all ten of the Hornets.
“The jets were pretty beat up when we got them. It took a lot of work to get them up and flying,” said Hobson. “They’re the oldest F/A-18’s used in the Marine Corps.”
“The Marines did a great job in ensuring all the jets kept flying,” said Sgt. Maj. Guy T. Frazier, the squadron sergeant major for MALS-11.
“We couldn’t be more proud of our Marines and happy to have them home,” added Frazier.
Marines from both squadrons will be afforded a 96-hour liberty period and the opportunity to take additional leave to see family and friends before returning to work.
VMFA-232 will be making a four-month turnaround, before re-deploying with the Nimitz in January 2008.
Angelina Franks, fiancé of Lance Cpl. Christopher Murray, a plane captain with VMFA-232 was especially excited to see Murray return to MCAS Miramar.
Murray came home just ten days after the birth of the couple’s first child.