Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center (NAVSUP FLC) Puget Sound personnel were on hand to provide pier side support for the Navy’s participation in the annual Portland Rose Fest Fleet Week June 2-8.
NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound Logistics Support Representatives (LSRs) traveled from Bremerton, Washington to coordinate support with vendors and port officials as the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Chafee (DDG 90) made its way from the Pacific Ocean up the Columbia River and eventually to Portland to participate in Fleet Week festivities.
“We provided the highest standard of support to USS Chafee during the Portland port visit for the Rose Festival,” said Chief Logistics Specialist Froiland Poblete, NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound Logistics Support Representative.
Chafee’s first stop was in Astoria, Oregon at the mouth of the Columbia River, where FLC Puget Sound logistics support personnel facilitated the transfer of provisions and over 120,000 gallons of fuel to the ship.
Once the provisions were on board and the fuel tanks topped off, Chaffee then continued her journey up the Columbia River to the Portland waterfront where another team of NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound representatives were waiting.
The Portland LSR team included a contract specialist from the NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound Contracting Department, on hand to facilitate any urgent requirements that might come up during the port visit and to work with local service providers to make any last-minute contract modifications on-site if a situation changes.
During the port visit, the NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound team shipped parts for repairs, and established communications with the ship’s supply department, Navy Region Northwest, and other stakeholder agencies to coordinate short-notice mission requirements.
LSRs are assigned to the NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound Operations Department Logistics Support Center in Bremerton, Washington. Qualified LSRs, both active duty and civilian employees, are authorized to work independently at civilian ports to coordinate delivery of goods and services for Navy ships where military infrastructure is not available.
The NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound Logistics Support Center covers port visits at locations throughout the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and western Canada. LSRs are tasked with supporting port visits during operational missions and support Navy participation in fleet week events at cities in FLC Puget Sound area of responsibility.
Providing logistics services for the Navy’s operational mission is the primary focus for the LSR team, but the civilians and Sailors take special pride in being part of high-profile outreach events that connect the Navy to the nation it supports.
“Being part of the Rose festival event is a community-driven experience. We all felt a sense of pride supporting the ship visits. Providing for the crew’s needs and enabling them to conduct their mission is heartwarming,” said Poblete.
Portland Fleet Week, part of the city’s annual Rose Festival, is the nation’s oldest fleet week at 119 years. The U.S. Navy has participated in the event for 80 years. The event showcases the country’s maritime capabilities, and connects citizens with Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen. Visiting service members also enjoy the hospitality of Portland, support various community service events, and participate in annual festivities alongside the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
Along with Chafee, ships participating in Portland Fleet Week included U.S. Coast Guard Cutter David Duren (WPC 1156) and Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Harry DeWolf-Class offshore patrol vessel HMCS Max Bernays (AOPV 432).