NORFOLK, Va. — Saturday, 5,000 sailors left Naval Station Norfolk on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower for deployment after being delayed one day.
The Navy said this deployment has been on the calendar for a while, but tensions in the Middle East could change the direction and destination of the mission.
Sandra Laramie says saying goodbye for now is never easy for military families.
"I think you're never prepared, you have an idea that it's going to happen and then you think oh maybe but you're never prepared," explained Laramie.
Throughout their relationship, Laramie said she and her husband, Phillip, have endured long distance for his career.
"Phillip was in San Salvador before. It was during COVID-19 and we were apart for almost all my pregnancy. This mission I think is going to be more difficult," said Laramie.
On a typical deployment, Laramie has limited contact with her spouse.
At this point in time, she said she doesn't know when she'll hear from him next.
"Sometimes if the WIFI is working I'll talk to him once a day. Then there are some days when you're just waiting," Laramie said.
Commander Lara Bollinger, the public affairs officer for U.S Second Fleet, said there is a destination for deployment, but it could change.
"The carrier is scheduled to do a deployment to the U.S Sixth Fleet area of operations in support of Naval Forces Europe and European Command. The greatest feature of an aircraft carrier strike group is that they offer the flexibility to the combatant commanders to do whatever the combatant commanders need them to do," explained Bollinger.
In May, the USS Gerald R. Ford deployed from Naval Station Norfolk. Last weekend, the ship was rerouted to the Mediterranean to show military support for Israel.
The Navy said the USS Eisenhower was always scheduled to leave the weekend of Oct. 14, which fell on the birthday weekend of both the Navy and U.S President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
According to the White House Historical Association, President Eisenhower was victorious as the supreme commander of troops invading France on D-Day during WW2 in 1944.
After it's departure from Norfolk, the Navy announced flagship Dwight D. Eisenhower will join Guided Missile Cruiser USS Philippine Sea and Guided Missile Destroyer USS Gravely who left Naval Station Norfolk Friday. They will also join Guided Missile Destroyer USS Mason who left Naval Station Mayport this weekend as well.
Saturday night, the Associated Press reported that the Biden administration has sent the Eisenhower carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean to support Israel. That's according to two defense officials that told the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss the move ahead of its announcement.
Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, confirmed the move Saturday night, adding the carrier was being sent, "As part of our effort to deter hostile actions against Israel or any efforts toward widening this war following Hamas's attack on Israel."
