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USS Jason Dunham Sailors Train During Bahrain Port Visit

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS130308-10
3/8/2013

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Deven King, USS Jason Dunham Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- Guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) completed a 10-day port visit to Bahrain, March 6.

The visit was a working port for the crew, who conducted maintenance on the ship and completed training requirements.

"We train in port to maintain readiness and proficiency," said Lt. Loumarie Chew, USS Jason Dunham training officer. "The bad guys don't take time off, so we can't either."

Chew said it is important to take advantage of port visits while on deployment to catch up on drills specific to being pier side.

"We have to be a little more creative underway and do a lot more simulation," Chew said. "For example, conducting a force protection drill that is supposed to be conducted in port is a lot more challenging at sea. We don't have piers to protect or vehicles to inspect on the ship."

Chew said the training cuts into Sailors' liberty, but it's necessary and the crew understands that.

The port visit was not all work and no play, however. Sailors from Jason Dunham and guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) faced each other in a soccer game, Feb. 26.

Chief Logistics Specialist (SW/EXW) David Rowe, who organized the game, said it was an opportunity to build camaraderie between Jason Dunham and Paul Hamilton Sailors who shared a love of soccer.

"It's a great way to boost morale on such a long deployment," Rowe said. "The Paul Hamilton Sailors told us they had a lot of fun and thanked us for playing with them."

Paul Hamilton's team bested Jason Dunham 5-3 in the highly competitive game.

"This was our third time in Bahrain this deployment, so it was nice to do something different on liberty, and you definitely can't play soccer underway," said Fire Controlman 1st Class (SW) Benjamin Doyle, a Jason Dunham team member. "It was nice to see some new faces and make some new friends too."

Jason Dunham is deployed with the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom.