Naval Symposium Examines Ship Capabilities, Career Options
The annual Surface Navy Association (SNA) West Coast Symposium was held on the waterfront at Naval Station San Diego on July 16, and provided attendees an update on some key operational and career developments important to the surface warfare community. Capt. Mark Johnson, president of the SNA San Diego Chapter, was the host and master of ceremonies for the symposium. Capt. Warren Buller, commander of LCS Squadron 1, provided a comprehensive update on the LCS program, to include a detailed summary of the status of mission package development.
Chinese Officials Observe U.S. Navy Exercise
After Chinese military officials observed a large-scale U.S. exercise, several of their American counterparts — on both sea and land — expressed interest in China returning the favor, Stars & Stripes reported. An exchange makes for a more “human” relationship between the two world powers, Lt. Gen. David Deptula said Wednesday. “If something happens, and the leadership knows each other, they can pick up the phone and talk about it,” Deptula said in a video-teleconference broadcast to Andersen Air Force Base. “We would like them to reciprocate. Deptula is running the joint U.S. Navy/Air Force air operations of Valiant Shield this week — the largest exercise of its kind in a decade. He declined comment on a Pentagon report in May that cites Beijing as a potential threat.
