NORFOLK, Va. — The guided-missile destroyer Stout steamed into Norfolk Naval Station on Sunday, 183 days since departing on a regularly deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation, which include the Middle East and Europe.
Stout deployed from Naval Station Norfolk on May 14.
The ship and crew steamed more than 36,000 nautical miles, making 18 straits transits, 19 underway replenishments, and eight search and seizure operations while conducting maritime security operations.
The guided-missile destroyer Stout fires its forward Mark 45 5-inch gun on Sept. 10, 2016, during a live-fire exercises in the Persian Gulf. Stout was deployed at the time, conducting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.
Photo Credit: PO2 Bill Dodge/Navy
While in the Persian Gulf, the ship operated as part of Strike Group Ten, led by the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower and her embarked Carrier Air Wing 3. The Ike CSG departed two weeks after Stout deployed and is expected to return home in December.
"The skill and professionalism of my crew has made this a truly fantastic deployment," said Cmdr. Adam G. Cheatham, Stout's commanding officer for the past year, who led the crew through workups and the entire deployment.
"Stout was able to flawlessly execute all assigned missions over the past six months. It has also been a real privilege to serve as a part of Carrier Strike Group Ten, and I wish them all the best as they complete the remainder of their deployment."
The guided-missile destroyer Stout hoists its"battle flag" as the ship passed through the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel on Nov. 13, 2016, before steaming into Norfolk Naval Station.
Photo Credit: Mark D. Faram/Staff
The ship was busy, taking part in combined and joint exercises with coalition and allied forces. Among them were search-and-rescue operations with the Republic of Cyprus' navy; a multinational exercise with the Hungarian, Greek, Israeli, Italian and French navies; and a joint sonar exercise with the Moroccan navy.
While in the Persian Gulf, the Stout's crew participated in multiple exercises with the Iraqi navy, Including an Aug. 11-15 exercise in the central Persian Gulf that included the coastal patrol ships Monsoon and Squall, and the U.S. Coast Guard cutters Monomoy and Wrangell.
"Working with our foreign naval counterparts while operating in multiple theaters offered a unique and mutually beneficial opportunity for the Stout crew," said Command Master Chief Jason Forward.
"Part of our mission with every cooperative exercise was to strengthen our partnership ties with our allies as well as give the crew a chance to implement the skills they continuously train to use."
Training onboard for the 300-member crew included the qualification of 11 officers qualified as surface warfare officers and 80 sailors as enlisted surface warfare specialists.
Petty Officer 2nd Class (SW) Billy Adkins sings and plays guitar during church services aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Stout on Oct. 2, 2016, during the ship's six-month deployment to 5th and 6th Fleet conducting maritime security operations. Adkins returned home with Stout on Nov. 13 and was greeted by newborn twins, born while he was deployed.
Photo Credit: PO2 Bill Dodge/Navy
But it wasn't all work, the ship made port calls in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, Spain, Portugal and Greece during the cruise.
As always, sailors count the days until they get home, too. This was especially true for the three sailors who are coming home to four new family additions, including a pair of twins.
"With the hustle and bustle of deployment life we can get distracted by all of the hard work and requirements," said Petty Officer 2nd Class (SW) Billy Adkins, one of Stout's operations specialists and now father of newborn twins.
"I am very proud of everything we did throughout this deployment, but nothing brings me more joy or can be more fulfilling than to be coming home to be a father."
Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.
