Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus joined Ackerman, Miss., Mayor Dick Cain to announce today that the name of the Department of the Navy's next Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) will be United States Naval Ship (USNS) Choctaw County, during a brief ceremony today at Ackerman High School, Ackerman, Miss. "I grew up in Choctaw County, Miss., where people work hard to raise their families and provide for their children," Mabus said. This will be the first naval vessel to serve as the county's namesake, an honor shared by Choctaw counties also located in Alabama and Oklahoma. Capable of transporting 600 short tons, 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots , the JHSV can operate in shallow-draft ports and waterways, providing U.S. forces added mobility and flexibility.