Warner Statement on the Announced Return of the USS Gerald R. Ford

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement: “After a record-breaking deployment, the US S Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and its sailors will soon finally return home to their families. For more than 320 days at sea, they served with professionalism and resolve, even enduring a serious fire onboard while continuing to carry out their mission. Their resilience and dedication reflect the very best of our Navy. I thank every sailor aboard the Ford and the servicemembers deployed with Carrier Strike Group 12 for their extraordinary service, sacrifice, and steadfast commitment to our country. “While families across Hampton Roads and throughout Virginia will rightly be celebrating their safe return home, we must also recognize how we got here. President Trump sent the Ford around the world – repeatedly extending its deployment – from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and the coast of Venezuela and then back to the Middle East in support of an open-ended conflict of his choosing. These decisions placed enormous strain on our servicemembers, their families, and the overall readiness of one of our most important naval assets. “In Virginia, we know these deployments are never borne by sailors alone. They are carried by spouses, children, parents, and entire communities waiting at home. These families serve too. They deserve stability, support, and leaders who understand that military strength starts with keeping faith with the people who wear the uniform and the families who stand behind them.” ###