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Canadian Fleet Commodore Visits BHR

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080719-15
Release Date: 7/19/2008 9:09:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Ryan Tabios, USS Bonhomme Richard Public Affairs

USS BONHOMME RICHARD, At Sea (NNS) -- The Canadian Fleet Pacific commander visited the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) (BHR) July 16 during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2008.

Commodore Nigel Greenwood, the Sea Combat Commander for RIMPAC 2008, toured the ship and met with Sailors and Marines on board BHR.

"I am exceptionally impressed with both the capability and spirit of the ship," said Greenwood. "It is clear that [the commanding officer] and his crew are very proud of their ship, and they have a superbly collaborative team with the embarked Marines.

"The Sailors and Marines I spoke to were very proud of their association with the ship and their individual roles. I would guess that the morale on board is very high, sustained by a warm mutual regard between all members of the team, anyone would be pleased to be part of this crew."

Greenwood commented on the importance and significance of this year's RIMPAC exercise, in which Canada has participated since 1971.

"This exercise is vital for Canada as it gives us an opportunity to exercise the full range of naval capabilities at a very high level. It assures us of the ability to communicate and operate seamlessly when future occasions may require multilateral collaborations for collective security and disaster assistance.

He added that the exercise is beneficial to all participating nations.

"The exercise permits us to further our understanding of other navies' cultures and procedures, such that we may learn "best practices" in order to improve our own effectiveness."

During his visit, Greenwood also spoke to Canadian Soldiers from Alpha Company (Red Devils) of 1 Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) embarked on board BHR.

"The Canadian troops seem to be integrating well into BHR. They have expressed great satisfaction with the high level of training they are gaining. They are thrilled with their sea-going experience and proud to have been referred to as 'Canadian Marines.'"

BHR is currently participating in RIMPAC 2008. RIMPAC is the world's largest multinational exercise and is scheduled biennially by the U. S. Pacific Fleet. Participants include the United States, Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, the Netherlands, Peru, Republic of Korea, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

For more news from USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd6/.