U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) departed Riga, Latvia, after a scheduled port visit, July 7.

Mount Whitney's presence in the Baltic Sea and in Latvia is a demonstration of continued commitment to the collective security of NATO, while enhancing U.S.-Latvia relations as the two nations work together for a stable, secure and prosperous Baltic region.

Quick Facts:

Crew members visited Junda Youth Center July 6. They participated in sporting events, had lunch and enjoyed campfire activities with the children. The event concluded with a small presentation and group photo.

The United States continues to demonstrate its commitment to the collective security of NATO allies and support for partners in Europe. All Department of Defense efforts in support of NATO allies in Eastern Europe fall under the umbrella of Atlantic Resolve.

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.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy.

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