The USS George HW Bush pulled out of Norfolk as the Trump administration continues to send mixed signals about its next steps for the war with Iran.
The head of the strike group, Rear Adm. Alexis Walker, would not say where the ship and its complement of three destroyers were headed.
“For operational security and as well as for flexibility, who knows what the next crisis will be or the next challenge will be around the world? " So we'll be ready to go wherever that is,” Walker said.
For the last several weeks, media reports have indicated USS Bush would replace USS Gerald R. Ford in the theater with Iran. The carrier is in Croatia undergoing repairs after being sidelined by a fire in a laundry room that displaced hundreds of sailors from their berthing areas. Navy officials have said USS Ford is not expected to return to Norfolk until sometime in May. The 11-month deployment could surpass the record deployment by carriers during the COVID pandemic.
On Tuesday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hinted that the U.S. could be winding down operations against Iran. During his first press briefing on the war in two weeks, Hegseth said the U.S. could leave it to allies to completely open the Strait of Hormuz. The choke point for the global oil market has been largely blocked since the beginning of the war by the threat of strikes from Iran.
President Trump made similar suggestions on social media after saying Monday that the U.S. could also widen the war by targeting civilian infrastructure, if negotiations break down with the current regime in Iran.
Technically, USS Bush has been available to deploy since completing the Composite Training Unit Exercise at the beginning of March. The training was the last step in certifying the readiness of the carrier, which has undergone a major maintenance cycle. The carrier waited for the crew to finish additional maintenance, Walker said.
“There was a lot of maintenance that we wanted to tie up and make sure that we had all of our redundancy in place so that when we head out into theater, we are fully combat capable and ready to go,” Walker said.
Long deployments have become more common. Leadership on the carrier is concerned about stressing the crew. Sailors typically go on leave just prior to a deployment, said USS Bush Capt. Robert Bilbeau.
“The workup cycle is very challenging for our sailors,” Bilbeau said. “I use the analogy of going to the gym. You have a heavy day at the gym, it helps to rest and recharge and spend some family time. So that's absolutely important.”
Monday morning, LaKenya Ford waited on the dock with her family. Her twin daughters, 21-year-old Jaden and Jade Andrews, were deploying for the first time. They were born in April and they flew home for a combination of early Easter and early birthday.
“I told them to think positive. I told them at least you're getting to see the world, getting to travel, so just make the best of the situation,” Ford said.
