DVIDS – News – USS Sterett (DDG 104) wins Battle ‘E’ Award 2023

SAN DIEGO – Cdre. Craig Trent, commander of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) One, presented the Battle Effectiveness Award to the crew of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104) May 1 during a ceremony in the ship’s flight deck.

Also known as the Battle ‘E’, this award is a prestigious award that requires a ship to demonstrate excellence on a daily basis, in addition to superior performance during certifications and qualifications administered over a calendar year. Sterett achieved these criteria through a combination of effective communication, full crew involvement, exceptional ship handling and tactical acumen, all while maintaining a high degree of material readiness.

“It is my honor to present Sterett with this award,” said Trent. “Her Sailors have gone above and beyond every challenge and are a true example of our Navy’s excellence. They have earned this achievement every day. I am extremely proud of the Sterett team.”

Sterett’s success in winning Battle ‘E’ illustrates the importance of extensive training, meticulous planning and cohesive teamwork in demanding military operations on the high seas. Clear and consistent communication played a critical role in keeping all team members informed of the ship’s mission objectives and ensured that every Sterett crew member was prepared for any challenge. By maintaining open lines of communication, Sterett ensured that everyone involved understood their role within a larger framework and underlined the importance of everyone doing their best, regardless of their role on board.

“From our most junior Sailor to our most seasoned leader, every Sailor aboard Sterett demonstrated fighting spirit, stewardship and partnership, along with the personal integrity to get the job done on time and in the right manner,” said Cmdr. Jason Garfield, Sterett’s commander.

Sterett’s crew underwent rigorous training and preparation to ensure proficiency in seamanship and navigation, engineering, damage control, unit level and combined tactics and communications. “Winning the Battle ‘E’ demonstrates not only our ability to perform when called upon, not only for a naval inspection, but also the high level of performance we can achieve when conducting rapid and sustained operations at sea,” said Command Master Chief Alfredo Alonso.

In 2023 and 2024, Sterett deployed to the 7th Fleet Area of ​​Responsibility as part of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) One, where he participated in multiple high-level multinational exercises, including two multi-major deck events with the Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan CSGs, Annual Exercise 2023, and several bilateral and trilateral exercises with regional allies and partners, including Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore. In addition, Sterett operated with the larger Joint Force, which also included Naval Special Warfare, Marine Corps and Air Force units.

“The importance of the exercises we participated in cannot be overstated,” Garfield said. “Our presence in the region has helped strengthen regional stability and security in the Indo-Pacific.”

Sterett’s demonstrated superior command and control and the ability to develop and implement advanced tactics to deter aggression. Specifically, Sterett led tactical actions while deployed as Air and Missile Defense Commander of Carl Vinson Strike Group.

In addition to the Battle ‘E’, Sterett’s recent achievements include the Command Excellence Awards for Maritime Warfare (Black ‘E’) and Ship Safety (Yellow ‘E’), the Force Health Award (Green ‘H’) and the Vice Admiral Thomas H. Copeman III Material Readiness Award. The latter award is given to the ship with the highest score in the Pacific Fleet for a Board of Inspection and Survey Material Inspection. This award reflects the ship’s meticulous attention to detail in managing and maintaining its equipment, systems and assets with maximum operational efficiency. USS Sterett’s proactive approach to equipment readiness underscores the crew’s commitment to the Surface Force’s purpose of providing ready ships for operational roles and to the overall success of the mission.

The Battle ‘E’ Award was first established by Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf in 1976. Under recent leadership of Commander, Naval Surface Forces, the criteria for awarding the Battle ‘E’ to surface ships was modified to focus on training. performance, war readiness and the evaluation of a ship’s Immediate Superior in Command (ISIC). These criteria, in turn, support the priorities of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) around warfighting, warfighters, and the foundation that supports them.

USS Sterett is homeported at Naval Base San Diego. For more news from USS Sterett, follow us on Facebook and Instagram at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083188063941, https://www.instagram.com/usssterett/ or visit https:// www.surfpac.navy.mil/ddg104.