Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Cecil Dopel of USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) returns to his flight quarters station as an MH-60R helicopter belonging to the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73, Combat Element 1, descends above the ship’s flight deck during deck landing qualifications. HSM 73 is currently embarked aboard USS Freedom (LCS 1) as part of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Malaysia 2013. More than 1200 Sailors and Marines are participating in CARAT Malaysia. U.S. Navy ships participating in CARAT Malaysia include the amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) with embarked U.S. Marine Corps landing force, the diving and salvage vessel USNS Safeguard (T-ARS 50) with embarked Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 1, the guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) and littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1). CARAT is a series of bilateral military exercises between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Timor Leste. (U.S. Navy Photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Matthew Olay/Released)
Chief Petty Officer Matthew Olay
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