Navy officer returns from deployment

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Christina A. Watson, whose husband, Brian, is the son of Shirley Johnson of Karnack, and more than 5,000 fellow sailors and Marines aboard the Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), San Diego, Calif., recently returned from a five-month deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility (AOR).

Ronald Reagan, the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 7 flagship, the guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), the guided-missile destroyers USS Gridley (DDG 101) and USS Howard (DDG 83) arrived to meet family members waiting on the pier aboard Naval Station San Diego, Calif.

This return marked the completion the Ronald Reagan's fourth deployment since it was commissioned in 2003 as well as the groups return from Afghanistan.

More than 5, 000 sailors, 20 percent of whom are women, serve aboard USS Ronald Reagan and hail from all 50 U.S. states and 40 nations.

The guided missile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) and the guided missile frigate USS Thach (FFG 43) remain deployed in the 5th Fleet to provide Maritime Security Operations and are scheduled to return next month.

Ronald Reagan and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 14 operated in the 5th Fleet AOR for more than two months, providing 30 percent of all air support to U.S. and coalition ground forces in Afghanistan and flew more than 1, 600 sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The squadrons of CVW-14 include the "Redcocks" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22, the "Fist of the Fleet" of VFA-25, the "Stingers" of VFA-113, the "Eagles" of VFA-115, the "Black Eagles" of Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 113, the "Cougars" of Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron (VAQ) 139 and the "Black Knights" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 4.

A detachment from Fleet Logistics Squadron (VRC) 30 provided logistics support to the carrier.

Additionally, the ships of Carrier Strike Group 7 were vital in counterpiracy operations off the coast of Somalia and the Horn of Africa, and maritime security operations to include protecting vital Iraqi infrastructure in the North Arabian Gulf.

Ronald Reagan's sailors participated in 50 community relations projects during port visits to Singapore, Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and Phuket, Thailand.

For more news from the crew of the USS Ronald Reagan, please visit the ship's official site at http://www.navy.mil/local/cvn76/.

Karnack ISD lunch menu

All meals served in the cafeteria include a choice of milk.

Thursday, Nov. 5

Pinto beans with ground beef, stemmed rice, steamed cabbage, corn bread, baked apples

Friday, Nov. 6

Hamburger, chips, fresh fruit

Monday, Nov. 9

Sausage pizza, green salad, steamed broccoli/carrots, apple sauce cup, crackers

Tuesday, Nov. 10

Corny dog, pork n' beans, corn on the cob, chilled fruit cup

Wednesday, Nov. 11

Turkey and dressing, green beans, green salad or pea salad, cream potatoes with gravy, sweet potato pie, cobbler, or fruit cup, hot rolls, cranberry sauce

Thursday, Nov. 12

Manager's choice