U.S. NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY NAPLES, Italy –
U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) Fleet Maintenance Officer Rear Adm. Dianna Wolfson visited Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC), engaging with critical surface ship maintainers and stakeholders across U.S. 5th and 6th Fleets May 4-13. Accompanying Wolfson, Eric Lind, Executive Director of Commander, Navy Regional Maintenance Command (CNRMC), provided regional maintenance center (RMC) enterprise oversight.
During her visit to Rota, Spain, Naples, Italy, and Manama, Bahrain, Wolfson reviewed new quality of service areas for crews in maintenance availabilities, visited the Spanish intermediate-level facility JEMANDIZ with new additive manufacturing capabilities, toured FDRMC facilities such as the comprehensive intermediate maintenance activity shop in Bahrain, engaged with FDRMC divers, and met with industry partners Navantia, the Bahrain Ship & Repairing and Engineering Company and Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Bahrain.
“FDRMC generates critical readiness for our forward deployed naval forces, directly maintaining the needed lethality for our ships in combat operations,” said Wolfson. “They are the difference for our Sailors who go into harm’s way, knowing this forward deployed maintenance team has their backs throughout 5th and 6th Fleets.”
Wolfson and Lind also engaged with U.S. 5th and 6th Fleets’ leadership and task force commanders to affirm strong support and investments for maintenance and modernization of forward-deployed ships and assets while validating success of the maintenance mission.
“Having served with the FDRMC team previously, it was fantastic to be back and see again the incredible work this exceptional team of maintainers and technicians executes for our Sailors and Marines, especially in austere and dangerous locations like the Red Sea,” said Lind. “It is no surprise that Fleet stakeholders see FDRMC as a readiness generator and warfighting advantage for their forces.”
During the all-hands calls with each site, Wolfson provided impactful insight into USFFC’s priorities and efforts to prepare the Fleet for a transition from peacetime support to wartime through the Global Maritime Response Plan, which includes significant shifts in ship readiness generation and maintenance. Lind provided updates to RMC enterprise initiatives including assessments, availabilities and manning.
Together Wolfson and Lind presented FDRMC with the Regional Maintenance Center Excellence Award Pennant during the town halls, remarking on the exceptional work and mission impact of the team.
“It was a privilege to show Rear. Adm. Wolfson and Mr. Lind the impactful work executed by our FDRMC team throughout sustained combat operations,” said Capt. Mollie Bily, FDRMC commanding officer. “I look forward to their support in removing barriers, streamlining operations and increasing investments that will provide significant improvements for the team to continue to deliver and maintain mission-ready ships deployed across U.S. 5th and 6th Fleets.”
FDRMC provides emergent, intermediate and depot-level maintenance and modernization for Forward Deployed Naval Forces in U.S. 5th and 6th Fleets through fleet technical assistance, voyage repair, contract management oversight, assessments, and diving and salvage. FDRMC is the only forward-deployed RMC supporting two numbered fleets, serving three combatant commanders, and conducting work on three continents.