Dear CARL VINSON Friends and Families,

This ship and crew continue to do fantastic work!  We have finished up our operations in the Middle East after providing tremendous support to our soldiers and Marines on the ground.  A second port visit to Dubai, UAE followed and allowed all some time to rest and relax before beginning our transit out of the area.

In April we visited the port of Chenai, India on the country’s east coast.  The crew had a good time ashore and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to experience a new culture.  Our visit was tied into the annual naval exercise MALABAR 2012 which just ended several days ago.  The exercise was a terrific success with integrated flight operations, maritime exercises and CARL VINSON’s first ever refueling hook up with the Indian Navy oiler SHAKTI.

Our Tiger Cruise is on the horizon and planning continues to progress for what will be a fantastic experience for all involved.  Details have been provided through the Tiger’s sponsor.  We look forward to bringing all our Tigers aboard soon.

Planning for our homecoming is underway…always a good sign!  I appreciate all the hard work our FRG, Ombudsman and leaders back on the beach have and will provide to make the homecoming a memorable event for all.

In our long range planning we have scheduled a Friends and Family day cruise in late June.  This will be a one day trip aboard CARL VINSON that will depart in the morning and return in early evening.  We will expose our guests to the different aspects of our mission to include fixed-wing flight operations.  This event is still somewhat tentative as we refine other schedule items.

The command is also planning a summer picnic and a trip to a San Diego Padres baseball game—so lots to look forward to.

Thanks for your continued support as we continue to serve the nation overseas.  I wish each of you the best and look forward to seeing you on the pier shortly.

All the Best,

Captain Kent D. Whalen

Commanding Officer

USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70)

Vis Per Mare

Dear CARL VINSON Friends and Families,

This fantastic warship and crew are doing great! We are about to wrap up our second month of deployed operations and I couldn’t be prouder of the performance of all onboard. The work ethic, spirit and enthusiasm that reside on this ship’s deck plates is truly amazing.

I would like to remind all that Operational Security (OPSEC) is very important to us. It is crucial to your Sailors’ safety, particularly while overseas. Knowing the movements of a naval unit could allow unfriendly forces to attack us when vulnerable. Specific dates of port visits fall into this category. We have developed a method to get that information to you that protects OPSEC, but it will never involve mailing port visit schedules via the US Postal System. My first and foremost concern in all matters is the safety and welfare of this crew and the national asset, CARL VINSON.

Please be polite and courteous to our Command Ombudsman. They are volunteers and, in fact, spouses of active duty CARL VINSON Sailors. Their role is to assist our families with issues that arise during deployment. They are resources to assist in getting the correct help to members of our CARL VINSON family. They also are given information to pass on from time to time regarding the ship and its affairs. They do not get paid and typically spend many hours per day talking with and assisting many of you because they enjoy serving in this way.

Our social media sites are a great tool to stay connected with your sailors while they are gone and provides an easy method to see what we are doing on an almost daily basis. Please remain courteous and polite on the CARL VINSON Facebook page or it could be shut down. There is not a Navy requirement to maintain a Facebook website and, in fact, several ships do not allow social media at all. I like the connectivity Facebook provides but it must remain a courteous and respectable medium.

We have approval for a Tiger Cruise on our way home from deployment. The planning for this is just beginning and there is no releasable information yet. I hope to have something available in the next month on this. We have also requested a Family Day event in late June. This is a one day trip out to sea from our San Diego homeport. There will be more to follow on these two initiatives.

CARL VINSON is doing the Nation’s business right now on the tip of the spear and doing it well. Your Sailors are getting to do the jobs and tasks they signed up to do. As with every schedule written by the Navy, our planned port visits and special events are subject to change or cancellation…world events have done this on more than one occasion. I recommend that any plans or reservations you make be fully refundable.

All the best to each of you and thank you for your continued support!

All the Best,

Captain Kent D. Whalen

Commanding Officer

USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70)

Vis Per Mare

Hello Family and Friends of USS CARL VINSON:

The ship and the crew have been very busy since leaving San Diego.  Our transit west was marked with lots of flying for the Air Wing and constant training evolutions.  Some of these included weapons proficiency, small boat operations, and damage control training.

Christmas at sea was a special day on the ship with holiday routine and a traditional Christmas dinner for 5,000.  The Supply department did a terrific job setting this up.  I will tell you that the Wardroom and combined Chiefs Mess took on most of the FSA duties (busing tables, scullery work etc) to give our Sailors a break from that.

We just finished up our first port visit of the deployment to Hong Kong and I think everyone would say they had a great time.  This was the perfect place for our crew to visit with its international flavor and diverse culture.  Many I talked with had not been here before, some were here last deployment but still found it enjoyable.  The ship hosted a reception on board the first night in port for several hundred local dignitaries and expatriates.  The US Consul General in Hong Kong came aboard as well.

We picked up 20,000 pounds of mail in Hong Kong and in the coming days, we expect to receive 15,000 more pounds of mail.

The ship celebrated New Years Eve last night with some food, music and activities in the Hangar Bay followed by a midnight 50 cal gun shoot with flares.    Looking back at 2011, I think everyone would agree that there hasn’t been a ship’s crew that has accomplished more in twelve months, than the crew of the USS CARL VINSON.  We’ve steamed 71,000 nautical miles, having been underway for over 7 months.  We disrupted pirate attacks, supported Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn and even hosted an NCAA basketball game on our flight deck.

I couldn’t be prouder of this ship and crew.  They continue to exceed expectations every day and are very positive about our mission and deployment.  I know that they couldn’t do this without the love and support of those at home—so thank you, families and friends, for what you do for us.  The men and women of the USS CARL VINSON join me in wishing all of you a happy and prosperous New Year.

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                    Captain Kent Whalen

Dec. 4, 2011

Dear CARL VINSON Friends and Families, 

It is truly an honor and a privilege to be the new Commanding Officer of the CARL VINSON.  The ship has a fantastic reputation on the waterfront and has excelled across the board in all facets of its numerous mission areas.  I know you join me in wishing Captain and Mrs. Lindsey all the best as they await their next tour. 

We are now underway in the eastern Pacific and moving on with deployment.  Carrier Air Wing 17 (CVW-17) is aboard and they’ve finished carrier qualifications.  Everything went extremely well, just as we knew it would.  Vice Admiral Myers, Commander, Naval Air Forces, was out to visit us before we left the San Diego operational area.  He met with the officers and crew and addressed all on our 1MC (public address system), wishing us well.  Over the next few days, we’re going to take a small break from flying and conduct some much-needed training. 

Port visits are beginning to firm up.  It’s always difficult to pinpoint them this early in deployment because you just don’t know how world events are going to dictate changes in our schedule. Our fantastic Ombudsmen will keep you up to date as more information becomes available.  

This is a difficult time of year to begin a deployment.  I know that, and my thoughts are with you.  If I could offer a single consolation it’s that our schedule points to us staying at home for the next two Christmas and New Year periods.

Every Sailor, Chief and Officer onboard Vinson is ready for what’s to come. They’ve trained for this, prepared over the summer and fall, and remain the finest crew onboard any carrier in our Navy. I appreciate what your loved ones are doing for CARL VINSON and for our great nation.  You can be very proud of their service.  Thank you for what you do to support them—your support is crucial to their success.

I wish you an early Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and look forward to seeing you on the pier in San Diego upon our return!

All the Best,

Captain Kent D. Whalen

Commanding Officer

USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70)

Vis Per Mare