Cmdr. R. J. Caldwell, commanding officer of guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71), visited with the wardroom and crew of South African frigate SAS Amatola (F145) during its port visit to Rota, Spain, March 20.

Caldwell went aboard Amatola for an unofficial visit in the interest of establishing good rapport with a fellow warship.

As a native of South Africa, Caldwell shared many of the same personal childhood experiences as the crew members he interacted with. Their family histories, cultural values, and mannerisms were all too familiar.

"Visiting with the SAS Amatola was an awesome experience," said Caldwell. "What are the chances that a U.S. commanding officer born in South Africa, who migrated to the U.S. as a teenager, then continued on to Canada, [would] meet a South African naval ship in Rota, Spain? To share my childhood experiences and interact with my fellow countrymen in the same profession was a once in a lifetime opportunity."

While on Amatola, Caldwell invited the wardroom and crew of the Amatola to visit the Ross, and two days later, they came aboard the Ross for a tour. During their visit, Amatola crewmembers visited the bridge, Combat Information Center, and Central Control Station, and had a chance to see the ship's Mark 45 5-inch gun, close-in weapons system, sea rolling airframe missile, and Mark 38 weapon systems.

"Interacting with fellow naval officers and discovering the similarities and differences of our equipment and how we conduct business is something I really enjoy," said Lt. Christian N. Seymour, operations officer for Ross. "The wardroom and crew of the Amatola are more than welcome to visit once again."

Ross is currently working with allies and regional partners to help develop and improve our maritime forces, maintain regional security and work toward mutual goals in order to advance security and stability in Europe.

Ross, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe. The ship's last deployment concluded Nov. 27, 2016.

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For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit http://www.navy.mil/.