provided numerous international training opportunities for the Amphibious Readiness Group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (13th MEU) including Exercise Cobra Gold '96 with Thailand, Exercise Infinite Moonlight with Jordan, Exercise Red Reef with Saudi Arabia, and MEUEX '96 with Kuwait. Rushmore demonstrated its superior adaptability throughout deployment by becoming the first LSD-41-class ship to employ Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) for the SPECWAR Detachment. Rushmore concluded 1996 with a port visit to Mazatlán, Mexico. The ship earned its second consecutive Battle E in 1996. Rushmore is the test platform for the Smart Ship program known as Gator 17. The ship was outfitted with several new technologies to reduce workload and manning levels. Information from the program aboard Rushmore will be used to assist in the design of the LPD-17 class amphibious ships. Installation was completed at the end of 1997. Rushmore deployed in 1999 with the Amphibious Ready Group and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (11th MEU). During this deployment, Rushmore participated in Exercise Iron Magic with the United Arab Emirates and Exercise Red Reef with Saudi Arabia. Rushmore also had the distinction of becoming the first United States Naval warship to visit Doha, Qatar in 10 years. Other port visits included Japan, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Singapore, Guam, Australia and Hawaii. On 12 March 1999, the ship made history when then Commander Michelle J. Howard ( later assumed command of United States Naval Forces Europe and Naval Forces Africa before retiring in December 2017 as a full Admiral) became its commanding officer and the first African American woman to Command a US Navy ship. Rushmore returned to San Diego in December 1999 and became the first "Smart Ship" to complete a six-month Western Pacific deployment. 2000s With the new millennium, came a year of local operations for Rushmore. Rushmore participated in CARAT 2001 in cooperation with other navies in the Western Pacific, South China Sea and Southeast Asia. Returning home just days prior to the September 11 attacks, Rushmore began preparations to deploy to areas of national security interests. After coming out of "the yards" USS Rushmore participated in RIMPAC 2002 with a host of nations off the shores of Hawaii. The ship set sail in December 2002 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of the Tarawa Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). The ship deployed on 6 December 2004 once again in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom