Forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) hosted Vice Adm. Toshiyuki Ito, commandant, Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) Joint Staff College, and more than 60 students, Dec. 17.

The ship tour and orientation continued to enhance interoperability between George Washington and JSDF.

"I am excited to see all of you aboard," said Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, commander, Battle Force 7th Fleet. "Our continued alliance presents a multiplying and compounding effect on our strength."

JSDF Joint Staff College members were provided a comprehensive tour of George Washington's hangar bay, flight deck and navigation bridge, where the day-to-day operations of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier were discussed.

"We are extremely grateful for this opportunity to see George Washington," said Ito. "Our students are able to learn so much more when they see the ship with their own eyes. The lessons we continue to learn from these visits allow George Washington and JSDF to work together more smoothly."

George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its partners and allies in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

This article was originally published at: http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=78367