While in port, the ship onloaded stores, conducted routine maintenance, and enjoyed liberty in the local area. To ensure the safety and health of the ship’s crew and Iceland’s citizens, all personnel going ashore have been fully vaccinated and were in compliance with host nation regulations.

“My crew looks forward to experiencing the great Icelandic culture and picturesque landscapes that are in abundance,” said Cmdr. Ryan Kendall, Roosevelt’s commanding officer. “This visit allows us to enhance ties with our allies and allows the crew a chance to reset after some challenging operations alongside our allies and partners in the Baltic and High North.”

Prior to operations in the High North, Roosevelt conducted a port visit in Kiel, Germany upon conclusion of Exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS).

Roosevelt, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, began its second Forward Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol March 29 in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. During this patrol, Roosevelt has sailed the Mediterranean Sea, Aegean Sea, Baltic Sea, mid-Atlantic Ocean, Norwegian Sea, and above the Arctic Circle.

Roosevelt is one of four U.S. Navy destroyers based in Rota, Spain, and assigned to Commander, Task Force 65 in support of NATO’s Integrated Air Missile Defense architecture. These Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle, demonstrating their mastery of the maritime domain.

U.S. Sixth 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 security interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.