DESRON 9 Sailors Foster Relationship with Royal Malaysian Navy
Navy News Service
Story Number: NNS120114-15
1/14/2012
By Ensign Steven Mulherin, USS Sterett Public Affairs
PORT KLANG, Malaysia (NNS) -- Fourteen Sailors from guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett (DDG 104) and USS Momsen (DDG 92), ships assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9, participated in a soccer game against members of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) during a recent port visit to Port Klang, Malaysia, Jan. 9.
The soccer game was one of many events during the visit geared toward fostering a strong military partnership between Malaysia and the United States. Other events with the RMN included a tour of the Malaysian National Hydrographic Centre for 11 U.S. Navy officers followed by a USS Sterett ship tour for 22 Malaysian sailors, Jan.10.
"It's a great experience to interact with a foreign navy on a professional and recreational level," said Cmdr. Rich McDaniel, USS Sterett commanding officer. "Visiting the Malaysian Hydrographic Centre gave us insight on the strategic importance of Malaysia and the Strait of Malacca for Southeast Asia and the world economy. It was also great to see our Sailors competing against the Malaysian navy in a friendly game of soccer."
Upon getting underway from Port Klang, the two destroyers participated in a passing exercise with two RMN ships, culminating with the four ships sailing in formation and conducting formation maneuvers.
DESRON 9 is part of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9, which also includes USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 and the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71). CSG 9 is in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) as part of a deployment to the western Pacific and Indian Oceans en route to support coalition efforts in the 5th Fleet AOR.
The visit to Malaysia was the first port call for Sterett and Momsen during the 2011-2012 deployment.
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