NEWPORT, R.I. - The guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) visited Naval Station Newport, July 11-15, engaging with various training and education commands to share lessons learned from the crew’s September 2023 to May 2024 independent deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation.
Part of a series of scheduled stops, Carney’s visit offered an opportunity for personnel from commands such as the U.S. Naval War College (NWC), Surface Warfare Schools Command (SWSC), Naval Station Newport, the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS) and Officer Training Command Newport (OTCN) to learn from the crew’s warfighting experiences in an operationally demanding environment.
“Carney’s crew are battle-tested warfighters who proved themselves to be tenacious, resilient and lethal,” said Rear Adm. Pete Garvin, president of NWC. “The opportunity to learn firsthand of their experiences, successes and challenges is priceless in training and educating the next generation of tactical, operational and strategic leaders for our Navy.”
Throughout the ship’s 235 day deployment supporting maritime stability and security in defense of U.S., Allies, and partner interests, Carney conducted 51 engagements against Houthi-launched weapons, including land attack cruise missiles, anti-ship ballistic missiles, and unmanned systems. Carney was also the first ship in the area to intercept Houthi attacks against Israel in October 2023.
The visit included Carney crew members engaging students at SWSC’s Surface Warfare Officer School, discussing ship handling, tactical employment of weapon systems, and damage control and engineering through visits to the ship and exchanges at the schoolhouse.
“What a tremendous opportunity for my staff and students to engage with the crew, learn, and receive firsthand knowledge from a ship with real-world combat experience, just home from the front-line - showcasing the warrior toughness inherent in every Navy Sailor,” said Capt. Joe Baggett, commanding officer of Surface Warfare Schools Command. “Through direct coordination with Carney while in-port Naval Station Newport, SWSC took advantage of every opportunity to gather and leverage these warfighting lessons to make us better as we train and ready sea-bound Surface Warriors.”
The ship’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Jeremy Robertson, also delivered a lecture to NWC and SWSC staff, faculty and students; U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen; and personnel from other local commands, in NWC’s Spruance Auditorium. As part of NWC’s Lectures of Opportunity (LOO) series, the discussion centered on Carney's operations in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aiden, intercepting ballistic missiles and UAVs and conducting defensive strikes into Yemen.
Robertson credited the crew’s readiness with the quality of training the crew received prior to deployment.
“We trained as realistic as possible and threw a bunch of curveballs at the team,” he said. “And I think that really paid dividends, because we did get the deployment that nobody expected.”
He added that the crew’s success validated the efficacy of Navy training programs and investments made into the education and development of Sailors.
“We’re validating that everything we’re training to is really preparing the teams, the ships and the strike groups to go out and do their missions and have success.”
Tours of Carney were also offered, providing additional opportunities for personnel stationed onboard Naval Station Newport to interact with the crew.
Carney Sailors also had the chance to enjoy the local community and attractions in Newport while on liberty during the port visit.
The U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardian, a defensive coalition of more than 20 nations, continues to provide international maritime security in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.