U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Julieta Valls Noyes visited USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), March 29, while the ship is dry docked at Viktor Lenac Shipyard in Rijeka, Croatia.

Noyes toured the ship and shipyard to see the progress of the ship, as well as the relationship between U.S. military and Croatian dockworkers.

Quote:

"The ambassador's trip to Mount Whitney and Viktor Lenoc Shipyard is a chance to highlight the cooperation between Croatia and the United States with a very visible example of the 8-month shipyard availability in Rijeka."
- USS Mount Whitney Commanding Officer Capt. Kavon Hakimzadeh

"The [Mount Whitney] project in Rijeka is proof of the strong security relationship between the United States and Croatia."
- U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Julieta Valls Noyes

Quick Facts:

* Ambassador Noyes met with Mount Whitney leadership to discuss the ship and crew's experience at Viktor Lenac Shipyard.
* Ambassador Noyes additionally met with Viktor Lenac Shipyard leadership.
* Mount Whitney, forward-deployed to Gaeta, Italy, operates with a combined crew of U.S. Navy Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners. The civil service mariners perform navigation, deck, engineering and supply service operations, while military personnel support communications, weapons systems and security. It is one of only two seaborne joint command platforms in the U.S. Navy, both of which are forward deployed.
* Mount Whitney entered dry dock in Rijeka, Croatia, Dec. 19, 2016, for its 2017 shipyard period. During this time, vital systems and a hospitality upgrade will be installed during the shipyard period.
* U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests, and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

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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/.