Adventures of an Icebreaker: Visiting brass come aboard off Portsmouth, Virginia

U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command

U.S. Atlantic Area, U.S. Navy 2nd Fleet, and District 5 commanders took time Sunday, October 24, 2021 to visit members of the fleet off of Portsmouth, Virginia.

 
Vice Adm. Steven Poulin, commander U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, Rear Adm. Laura Dickey, commander U.S. Coast Guard 5th District, and Rear Adm. Steve Waddell, vice commander, U.S. Navy 2nd Fleet, joined the command and crew of the USCGC Healy (WAGB 20).

Touring the ship

The global importance of the Arctic continues to grow, particularly with shifting geopolitical, economic, and environmental challenges. Partnerships are crucial to designing solutions. Arctic engagements must be based on collaboration and partnerships with other federal agencies, academic institutions, and multinational partners.

Touring the state of the art command center

The role of both the Coast Guard and the U.S. government in the Arctic will grow in the coming years as the region becomes more accessible to wide-ranging commercial activities, including shorter shipping routes and eco-tourism vessel traffic. As activity in the Arctic increases, so will demand on Coast Guard services.

The visitors took advantage of the Healy's helicopter pad

Healy's deployment demonstrates the United States' commitment to ensuring a safe and secure Arctic. The cutter crew is deployed for four and a half months to conduct operational ice testing, strengthen relationships with partner nations, project U.S. presence, and protect U.S. sovereignty rights along the shared U.S.-Russia maritime boundary line.

Heading out - the view of the Healy from the air

These efforts uphold the rule of law and deter threats to international maritime norms.

The Healy heads out into open water in the Atlantic

Based in Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area oversees all Coast Guard operations east of the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf. This area includes the Atlantic Arctic and participation in joint exercises, including Operation Nanook and Exercise Argus.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Dana Grady