NAVSUP, mission partners in Europe deliver 300k+ pounds of mail to George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group
14 October 2022
NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA, Italy - Since the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (GHWBCSG) began its scheduled deployment to the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) area of operations in August 2022, logisticians assigned to Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Sigonella (NAVSUP FLCSI) and their mission partners have coordinated the movement and delivery of more than 300,000 pounds of mail and packages to its crewmembers.
The most recent onload of mail occurred while the GHWBCSG conducted a replenishment-at-sea (RAS) Oct. 12, 2022. A RAS is a routine, time-saving operation that enables deployed U.S. Navy ships to resupply and refuel without pulling into port.
"We have mail processing hubs in multiple strategic locations across NAVEUR to meet the fleet wherever it is, either at port or at sea," said Vic Gonzalez, NAVSUP FLCSI regional postal officer. "In particular, our postal and customs clearance teams at Naval Air Station Sigonella and Rome Fiumicino Airport have been critical to ensuring the reliable movement of mail to the Carrier Strike Group thus far."
The GHWBCSG is an integrated combat weapons system that delivers superior combat capability to deter, and if necessary, defeat America's adversaries in support of national security. It is on a scheduled deployment in the NAVEUR-NAVAF area of operations to defend U.S., allied and partner interests.
"We fully understand the Carrier Strike Group's strategic value in our area of operations and the need for these warfighters to maintain a high morale to be successful in accomplishing their mission," said Jeff Criger, NAVSUP FLCSI supply chain director. "For this reason, we take to heart our quality-of-life support role of securely and reliably moving mail between its crewmembers and their loved ones back home."
In August 2022, GHWBCSG relieved the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group's (HSTCSG) after the latter completed a nine-month deployment to the region.
During HSTCSG's historic deployment, its crewmembers sailed more than 65,000 nautical miles while conducting multiple operations in the region and strengthening relationships with NATO allies and partners. All the while, NAVSUP FLCSI and its logistics mission partners delivered more than a million pounds of mail to its crewmembers.
"If these mail volume metrics for the Truman and Bush Strike Groups mean anything, it is that NAVSUP FLCSI's postal and customs clearance teams are fully capable and ready to execute this key aspect of our mission," Criger said. "It won't be long before we match the mail delivery metrics we had for Truman with those for the Bush."
NAVSUP FLCSI has been coordinating with its logistics support mission partners, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Sigonella and Air Mobility Command Sigonella, to move mail and packages to GHWBCSG crewmembers.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) is the flagship of CSG-10 and the GHWBCSG. CSG-10 is comprised of George H.W. Bush, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 26, the Information Warfare Commander, and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55).
The ships of DESRON-26 within CSG-10 are the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Nitze (DDG 94), USS Farragut (DDG 99), USS Truxtun (DDG 103), and USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119).
NAVSUP FLCSI performs its logistics support mission across 14 enduring and forward operating sites; forward contingency and cooperative security locations in 13 countries in Europe and Africa. The command's leaders manage teams at Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella, Italy; Naval Station Rota, Spain; Defense Munitions Crombie, Scotland, United Kingdom; Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay, Greece; NSA Naples, Italy; and Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.
NAVSUP FLCSI is one of eight FLCs under Commander, NAVSUP. Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, NAVSUP employs a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 25,000 military and civilian personnel. NAVSUP and the Navy Supply Corps conduct and enable supply chain, acquisition, operational logistics and Sailor & family care activities with our mission partners to generate readiness and sustain naval forces worldwide to prevent and decisively win wars.