VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Some Hampton Roads Sailors are coming home from a months-long deployment.
The USS Gunston Hall returned to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach Thursday afternoon. The ship left Hampton Roads on Jan. 24.
Military
Sailors from Hampton Roads participating in NATO's largest exercise in decades
"Very exciting," said Fai Wan, who was waiting for his daughter, Lindsey, to get off the ship.
Hundreds of Sailors aboard the ship were part of Steadfast Defender, a NATO exercise.
“She was in Hawaii before, and we didn't get a chance to do this. Since she moved to Norfolk, we get an opportunity to do this. I'm very proud of her," said Wan.
“The crew did such a great job over the past few months, so it’s just really rewarding for everyone to be here now and able to go home, sleep in our own beds," Lindsey said.
Steadfast Defender, according to the Navy, was the largest such exercise since the Cold War.
The USS Gunston Hall is home ported in Virginia Beach.
Military
USS Gunston Hall deploys from JEB Little Creek
“Over 90,000 participants working across land, air, and sea," said U.S. 2nd Fleet Vice Commander Radm. David Patchell. "The Gunston Hall was a critical part of Steadfast Defender."
The ship participated in five amphibious exercises and 19 well deck operations.
“We were able to work with and develop our interoperability and build on our alliance with our NATO partners," said USS Gunston Hall Commanding Officer Chris Van Loenen.
Dorothy Stenbergen was waiting for her friend to get off the ship.
“This is amazing, honestly, to be able to be here for him. This is his first deployment, and with mine coming up, I just wanted to be here for him," said Stenbergen.
While the deployment wasn’t long, it is “a signifier of the importance of the trans-Atlantic link” according to the Navy.
