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Blue Ridge, Australian Ships Exchange Sailors

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050616-02
Release Date: 6/16/2005 5:55:00 AM

By Journalist Seaman Apprentice Marc Rockwell-Pate, USS Blue Ridge Public Affairs

ABOARD USS BLUE RIDGE, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors from USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) swapped places with Royal Australian Navy sailors June 10 as the ship departed Sydney, Australia, with two Australian vessels to participate in exercise Talisman Saber 2005.

Sailors from Blue Ridge switched places with crew members from HMAS Success (AOR 304) and HMAS Ballarat (FFH 155) for two days, observing shipboard evolutions and experiencing life at sea in a foreign navy. Lt. Cmdr. John Wilshusen, Blue Ridge’s executive officer, described the swap as a great opportunity for two allies to learn from and better understand each other.

“The exchange program between the Blue Ridge and the Australian navy was set up so enlisted and officer personnel could experience a different country’s navy,” he said. “I think that exchange programs like these will encourage understanding and unity between our two nations and between our navies.”

Electrical Technician Seaman David Jordon, a visiting sailor from Ballarat, said riding aboard Blue Ridge – and on a naval vessel in general – was a completely new experience.

“This is the first time that I have been out to sea on any ship,” said Jordon. “I just got aboard Ballarat and I was sent here for two days. The markings on this ship are a lot different, but there were a lot of nice people to help me out and show me around.”

According to Jordon, size isn’t the only thing that sets the two ships apart. The people who serve aboard them also is a distinction.

“The biggest difference that I noticed between the two ships was how culturally diverse the crew is aboard Blue Ridge,” added Jordon. “On board Ballarat, there are pretty much just Australians and New Zealanders, but on Blue Ridge there are people from all over the world. I am really glad that I got the chance to interact and experience the different people and cultures on Blue Ridge.”

Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 2nd Class Nikolas Fritz, of Arlington, Texas, said he really enjoyed the time he spent on Ballarat.

“The first big difference you notice is the size of the crews,” said Fritz. “Since their crew was so much smaller, they were a tight-knit group. The ship itself is barely over a year old, so everything on the ship was new.”

Fritz added that while on Ballarat, he and other Blue Ridge operations department Sailors stood a four-hour watch, much like their duties aboard the 7th Fleet command ship.

“Standing watch was pretty much the same as I would do on Blue Ridge, except all of their equipment was brand new, and a little bit different from what we have,” Fritz said. “They showed me a few things on it, but I mostly just watched.”

The impact this swap has on Talisman Saber may only be as a friendly exchange, but as Wilshusen points out, it’s also a building block for the future.

“Twenty years from now, any one of the Blue Ridge or Australian officers who participated could be the 7th Fleet commander or commander of Australian forces,” Wilshusen said. “That’s what it’s all about, building unity between our current navies and developing good relations between our future Navy leaders.”

Blue Ridge, an amphibious command and control ship, is the command ship of the U.S. 7th Fleet.

Blue Ridge is commanded by Capt. J. Stephen Maynard, of Kettering, Ohio. Blue Ridge supports a variety of missions by providing a robust communications suite to allow the U.S. 7th Fleet Commander, Vice Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, and his embarked staff, to provide guidance and direction to U.S. Naval Forces in the region.