[“Our commitment to allies and partners and friends has never been more important to this region than right now,” Rear Adm Jeffrey T. Anderson said on Thursday. (Photo from Philstar)]

MANILA: The United States Navy continues to foster its ties with the Philippines and its other allies by conducting military exercises, showing off joint capabilities with the arrival of USS Abraham Lincoln that’s manned by several Filipino-American sailors. “Our commitment to allies and partners and friends has never been more important to this region than right now,” Rear Adm Jeffrey T. Anderson said on Thursday, PhilStar reported.

Select representatives of the media were brought to the aircraft carrier that was in the middle of the West Philippine Sea via a CMV-22 Osprey last week. Among USS Abraham Lincoln’s 5,000 crew members are Filipinos, some of whom have not been home in years. “The ship’s total mission is to launch aircraft when needed. We each have a role in the big, overall picture of having it conditioned to be able to launch an aircraft,” Logistics Specialist Senior Chief Petty Officer Rommel Pasive said.

Filipino crew members will be given a chance to take a quick break while in the Philippines, with some of the sailors expressing excitement to spend time with their friends and family.