Patience, please!

No communications.

The Bonhomme Richard’s Facebook page is a great way to feel connected to our Marines and Sailors, except when people start to speculate or freak out, and that happens when communications are down for one reason or another.

A letter from the Captain reminded us that there are very important reasons for that, and reassured us that our loved ones are well:

From the Captain...

Greetings family and friends. Life is great on BHR as we sail today. Your Sailors and Marines continue to do remarkable work keeping this great ship humming and ready to perform any mission that comes our way. Rest assured we are safe and mission focused.

I would like to remind you that from time to time we may be out of normal communication opportunities. This is a routine part of sailing ships at sea. The reasons for communication challenges range across an entire spectrum, but they are a fact of life.
I ask for your patience and understanding when we are experiencing limited regular communications.

Our facebook page is a great way to tell the BHR story and share the experiences and challenges of life at sea, an opportunity to communicate with your Sailor, Marine and one another, and a place to develop a community of mutual support, understanding and respect. Let’s keep it that way. It is not a place to speculate about communications, operations or schedules.

The mission, our national security, and the security and safety of your Sailors & Marines are my priorities. I ask for your continued support in this endeavor.

Regards – Captain John Funk

Thanks for the “chin-up,” Captain. We certainly support the mission and our loved ones…we just miss them!

--Tiffany

_________

An Opportunity to pay your respects:

Today, November 18, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. there will be two funeral services for indigent Veterans with no families at the Sarasota National Cemetery. If you can come to show your support for their service, please do. There are two more services on Friday at 10:30. For questions or directions, go to the website for the Sarasota National Cemetery.

_________

Around the military:

A U.S. Soldier of the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, runs to provide security after unloading from a CH-53 Sea Stallion during a static loading exercise at Camp Ramadi, in western Iraq, Nov. 15. Members of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and Iraqi army train together loading and unloading on the Sea Stallion to prepare for upcoming missions.


Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick West receives the H1N1 vaccination at the Pentagon Nov. 9, 2009. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jennifer A. Villalovos/Released) via Flickr


U.S. Army Spc. Aaron Blasingame, with 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, conducts a dismounted patrol through sectors of Shajoy district, Afghanistan, on Nov. 10, 2009. Blasingame is deployed to Combat Outpost Sangar in Zabul province, Afghanistan, to conduct counterinsurgency operations. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Christine Jones, U.S. Air Force. (Released)