January 30 - February 3, 2006

Arrival: Blue Ridge Commanding Officer Capt. Jeff Bartkoski receives welcoming flowers from the Aichi America-Japan Society.

More than 125 business, government and Self-Defense Force leaders attended a reception onboard the Seventh Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) during its port visit at Nagoya Jan. 30-Feb. 3. The reception was hosted by the Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet, Vice Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert, who used the opportunity to salute the friendship between the United States and Japan.

Before leaving Nagoya, Commanding Officer Captain Jeffery Bartkoski expressed his thanks and admiration for the generous hospitality given to his ship and crew by the people of Nagoya. The men and women of USS Blue Ridge enjoyed this opportunity to visit Central Japan and to take in the sights and sounds of Nagoya, one of Japan's most dynamic cities.

Learn more about USS Blue Ridge here.

Seventh Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Jonathan Gerrnert greets Lt. Gen Yoshifumi Hibako, Commanding General of the Japan Ground Self Defense Forces 10th Division, on the quarterdeck of the USS Blue Ridge on Jan. 30. (U.S. Navy photos by Journalist 2nd Class-SW Patrick Dille)
	(From right) Col. Masuzo Ueda, Commander, JASDF 1st Airlift Wing, Maj. Gen. Yoshirou Mutou, Commander, Japan Ground Self Defense Force Camp Moriyama and also Deputy Commander, JGSDF 10th Division, Seventh Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Jonathan Greenert, Lt. Gen. Yoshifumi Hibako, Commanding General, Japan Ground Self Defense Force, 10th division, Maj. Gen. Yoshinori Kurabeishi, Commandant, Japan Air Self Defense Force, 5th Technical School, and Capt. Jeffery Bartkoski, USS Blue Ridge Commanding Officer, stand together aboard Blue Ridge before a special reception there Jan. 30.
To strengthen the common bonds that unite Americans and Japanese, the crew of USS Blue Ridge participated in a number of community events. The 7th Fleet Band performed at JR Towers to a crowd of 300 people and later visited a local school for a jam session with young musicians.
Band in Action: The Seventh Fleet Band's brass quintet "Shonan Brass" plays during a special goodwill concert at the JR Central Towers in Nagoya on Jan. 31. Hundreds of spectators turned out to hear the band play tunes ranging from Sousa marches to Star Wars. The band is currently embarked aboard the Seventh Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge and is in Nagoya in conjunction with the ship's routine port visit.
Crew-members visit orphanage and senior citizen home�@
The American spirit of volunteerism was in evidence when young crewmembers visited a senior citizens home (above and below left) and an orphanage (below right).
	Religious Programs Specialist 1st Class Martha E. Martinez hugs a little boy during the orphanage visit. (U.S. Navy photograph by Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Luke D. Johnson)
Meanwhile, local businesses, schools and other groups were invited aboard Blue Ridge and given "behind-the-scenes" tours of life aboard the ship.