When members of our armed forces leave on deployment, their family and friends stateside know they do so prepared for the challenges ahead. But those holding down the homefront live with one eye on the horizon, always eager to see their loved ones return safely.
That goes doubly so for those with service members attached to the USS Harry S. Truman, which has endured a far-too-eventful deployment in recent memory. Though the ship and its personnel will be gone at least a few weeks longer, all of Hampton Roads should be eager to have them back, safe and sound, as soon as possible.
When the United States sends its armed forces to press American interests abroad, it鈥檚 likely that strength will come from Hampton Roads. Our region boasts a long and impressive history as a center of military activity, and is home to some tens of thousands of active duty service members and some of the Pentagon鈥檚 most important installations.
As such, folks here are well versed in the ups and downs of seeing our brave men and women leave these shores for months at a time. We know to look after the spouses and children of deployed service members 鈥 to lend them strength and comfort when they need it, and to be sounding boards and helping hands as our nation鈥檚 sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines do their duty.
That鈥檚 what was expected when the Truman carrier strike group on a scheduled six-month deployment to the Middle East. Naturally, there were feelings of trepidation with the assignment, as the Israel-Gaza war raged on and Houthi rebels in Yemen launched rockets at vessels in the Red Sea.
But there was also a sense of confidence knowing that our military is the best trained, best equipped and most professional fighting force in history. Nothing can fully erase the worry of having a loved one deployed to a global hot spot, but we know the men and women in uniform 鈥 our family and friends here in Hampton Roads 鈥 will execute their mission to the best of their ample ability.
However, things have not been straightforward for the Truman.
Only months after its departure, one of the carrier鈥檚 F/A-18F Super Hornet jets was over the Red Sea by another Norfolk-based Navy ship, the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg. Both aviators ejected and were rescued without injury.
In February, while operating in the Mediterranean Sea off the Egyptian coast, the merchant vessel, the M/V Besiktas-M, in a worrisome incident that caused some damage to the carrier. The impact was above the waterline, and no sailors were reported injured 鈥 a small miracle. However, a Navy review of the incident led to the Truman鈥檚 commander being .
Then last week, the Truman came under fire from Houthi rebels and was forced to take evasive maneuvers. Due to the ship鈥檚 abrupt movement, sailors towing an F/A-18E Super Hornet lost control of the jet, which .
Finally, while landing on the carrier Tuesday, another F/A-18F Super Hornet had an 鈥渁rrestment failure,鈥 per the Navy, forcing the pilot and weapons system officer to eject before . Again, both aviators were recovered safely, though the jet was lost.
We know that every deployment has its share of risks and that those who join the armed forces accept that risk as part of their duty. But the Truman has been through more than its share this time, and each new misstep, each new headline, ratchets up the anxiety level for everyone here at home.
The belief is that the Truman鈥檚 time at sea is nearly up and the carrier group will be . That can鈥檛 come a moment too soon and we look forward to celebrating as soon as the ship is safely back in port.
