Coast Guard Cutter Stratton Returns Home Thursday (VIDEO)

ALAMEDA, CA — After nearly four months at sea, family members will welcome home the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Stratton Thursday at 10 a.m. The deployment spanned the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii to the Arctic.

“Our crew logged more than 19,500 miles during this deployment,” said U.S. Coast Guard Captain Nate Moore, the Commanding Officer of the Stratton. “Their participation in a major international military exercise, support of the Coast Guard’s expanding role in the Arctic domain, and commitment to pursue excellence in mission execution has made this an extremely successful deployment.”

According to the Coast Guard, the crew of the Stratton participated in two high profile exercises during this deployment: the Rim of the Pacific 2016 (RIMPAC) military exercises and Operation Arctic Shield 2016.

RIMPAC included 26 nations, 45 ships, and more than 200 aircraft. The Stratton served as commander of the Combined Task Force 175, a multinational task force comprised of nine ships and 13 aircraft from the United States, China, France and Indonesia. The video below is from RIMPAC.

“The nature of maritime activity in the Arctic is evolving,” said Vice Adm. Fred M. Midgette, Commander of the Pacific Area Command. “Operation Arctic Shield 2016 gave the Coast Guard an opportunity to test capabilities to ensure the right resources are used to conduct future maritime operations in the region. As the lead federal agency for maritime safety, security and stewardship in the Arctic, the Coast Guard is committed to a proactive prevention and response presence in the Arctic.”

The Stratton was commissioned into Coast Guard Service in March 2012.

Photo via US Coast Guard