Hegseth presents top award to Ford carrier strike group
War Secretary Pete Hegseth presented the presidential unit citation to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group on Saturday as the naval squadron returned home from a nearly 11-month deployment, the longest deployment of an aircraft carrier since the Vietnam war.
TL;DR
- The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group received the Presidential Unit Citation upon returning from an 11-month deployment.
- This deployment is the longest for an aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War.
- The strike group's missions included operations in the Caribbean and the Middle East.
- Senator Mark Warner criticized President Trump for the extended deployment, citing negative impacts on sailors and readiness.
- The USS Gerald R. Ford remained operational despite a non-combat fire in its laundry room two months prior to its return.