The Harry S Truman Strike Group shipped out on Monday, headed for…. ?

NAVAL STATION NORFOLK - The Naval Station Norfolk-based USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group pulled away from the pier early this morning on a regularly scheduled deployment.

The nearly 7,500 sailors are likely headed to the Middle East to provide maritime security in international waters, according to the Navy.

Commanded by Rear Adm. William E. Gortney, the strike group includes the aircraft carrier and its air wing, the guided-missile cruiser San Jacinto and the submarine Montpelier.

A Florida and New Jersey-based guided-missile cruiser, guided-missile destroyer and fast combat support ship will deploy from their respective homeports and meet up with the strike group once underway.

Questions to be discussed:

1. Why is this group called a ”Carrier Strike Group” rather than a “Carrier Battle Group” ?
2. Is the difference significant?
3. What causes the difference?
4. Is it meaningful that there is no Marine Amphibious or Expeditionary Unit paired with this Strike Group?
5. Does this mean that Admirals Mullen and Fallon have finally given up resisting Dick “dick” Cheney’s insistence that Bibi Netanyahu is right and Iran must be turned into a smoking hole in the ground?