Philippine Sea. (June 11, 2024): They are responsible for the lives of thousands of Sailors and billions in military hardware, and serve on the front lines in a dangerous world. Meet Rear Admiral Greg Newkirk, pictured left, commander of Task Force 70 and Carrier Strike Group 5, and Commander Stephen Szachta, commanding officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta at work in the combat information center (Photo by MC1 Devin Monroe).

The commanders are guiding their respective forces during Exercise Valiant Shield 24, a multinational operation to demonstrate the world’s resolve to uphold freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific. The timing of these drills comes at a fraught moment for America’s allies in the region. Last week, Chinese and Philippine forces clashed once again in the South China Sea resulting in numerous injuries and raising the danger of the U.S. intervention. Under the existing 1951 U.S-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty, Article V states that “one partner is obliged to come to the other’s aid in the event of an armed attack”.

China has asserted sovereignty over nearly all the South China Sea, including islands falling within Philippine’s exclusive economic zone. The international courts dismissed these claims in 2016 but Beijing has ignored these rulings and continues to threaten and harass peaceful shipping. In the latest incident, Chinese naval forces used non-deadly force, including water cannons, up-close maneuvers that risk a collision, and alleged high-powered laser and sonic devices against Filipino vessels.

This is where the American Navy comes in. Rising to meet these provocations are the Sailors of the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group.

Rear Admiral Greg Newkirk commands Task Force 70 with operational control of the Reagan and all independently deployed cruisers and destroyers in the 7th Fleet. The Strike Group and her ten surface combatant ships are forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan and are the U.S. Navy's only continuously forward-deployed (and largest) Carrier. Commander Stephen Szachta leads the crew of the USS Rafael Peralta, a guided-missile destroyer capable of providing air and missile defense and undersea warfare. 

Together, these seasoned commanders lead America’s big ships, and they shoulder an even bigger responsibility.