Many thanks for the Father's day gifts that have flowed into us in the past several days/weeks. This Father's Day finds many of your father's, sons, brothers, nephews, and even future fathers hard at work in the conduct of yet another intensive operational pulse-this one into yet another country that will bring new adventure and challenges to the Marine/Sailor team.

This foray will be a training thrust and will prove to be exciting and full of adventure, and quite a bit of hard work in some quite austere conditions. Your Marines/Sailors, as always, are fully ready for this challenge.

Perhaps once this exercise is over we will be able to reveal where it is located, and more details as to what we are doing. In the meantime, thanks for bearing with me in this journey which many times takes both you and us into the unknown.

We appreciate your continued support. Rest assured your Marines aboard the Kearsarge are ready for our huge responsibility as the Theater Strategic Reserve. We are ready too for even more operational employment, in a multitude of locations across the Central Command Area of Responsibility.

We had a great, motivating visit by our Commandant of the Marine Corps the other day. While here he had a chance to visit Marines on all three ships, and to speak and answer questions on the current and future state of our Corps. He thanked us Marines for what we are doing, while at the same time thanked you--the families--for all that you do to support the cause. He also made time to snap photos with your Marines; perhaps you've already seen many of those images. A good day.

Happy Father's Day to all the dad's and grand dads at home. And, again thanks to all for making our Father's Day here a special one. The pillow cases are real winners. Photos of your Marines and their cases will be posted in the days ahead.

Semper Fidelis,
Colonel Tom Qualls