Navy Warns Bush Strike Group Families of Yearlong Deployment

Navy leaders told families of the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group on November 9 that sailors would not return for the holidays and that they should prepare for a worst-case deployment lasting up to 12 months. The warning came at a meeting with about 500 family members at Naval Station Norfolk, as the strike group’s deployment was extended for a second time.

The carrier left Norfolk on March 31 for a deployment initially expected to last six to seven months. The strike group includes about 7,000 service members and was sent to the Middle East to relieve the USS Gerald R. Ford. Officials did not give families a definite return date or a firm schedule for the Bush’s eventual relief.

The Bush made its first reported port visit on October 4, stopping in Phuket, Thailand, for four days after 187 days at sea without a port call. Aircraft carriers typically make port visits every four to six weeks on standard deployments, allowing time for crew rest, resupply and maintenance, according to Navy officials cited at the meeting.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao acknowledged the strain on families and said the strike group had protected 3,000 ships from being bombed. That figure was...