USS La Salle, U.S. 6th Fleet Depart Varna, Bulgaria By Journalist Seaman Talley Reeve Navy News Service November 16, 2004 VARNA, Bulgaria - USS La Salle (AGF 3), Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 60 and U.S. 6th Fleet completed the final stop on a three-week Black Sea Cruise Nov. 15 with a five-day visit here. While in port, crew members participated in numerous theater security cooperation events aimed at enhancing working partnerships between the United States and Bulgaria. The ship hosted a reception Nov. 13 attended by U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria James W. Pardew, U.S. 6th Fleet Theater Security Cooperation Commander Rear Adm. Robert Clark, Chief of the Bulgarian Navy Rear Adm. Minko Kavaldzhiev, and several other prominent Bulgarian navy officials. Clark, DESRON 60 Commodore Capt. Rob Taylor and La Salle Commanding Officer Capt. Herm Shelanski also made official calls on military officers, Varna politicians and the Bulgarian Naval Academy. The visit marked the continuation of 6th Fleet efforts to assist regional navies in the development of senior enlisted communities by demonstrating the direct impact of professionally trained non-commissioned officers to mission readiness. Master Chief Sonar Technician (SW) James Stone from Naval Station Rota, Senior Chief Machinery Repairman (SW) Margaret Buffa from the Naval Leadership Training Unit, and Senior Chief Fire Controlman (SW) Daniel Martin from the Senior Enlisted Academy made the trip to the Black Sea specifically to facilitate senior enlisted leadership training for Bulgarian and Ukrainian Navy personnel. "The training we gave them was a total departure from everything they've done before," Martin said. "That's what this training was really all about...showing how we work and helping them move into a new era of naval thinking." The seminar outlined the U.S. Navy's leadership training continuum and included discussion about employment and development of the Navy's NCO (non-commissioned officer) corps. In an exchange of leadership concerns, representatives from both countries expressed similar challenges. The interaction concluded with a dinner for U.S. chief petty officers and their Bulgarian counterparts. The U.S. 6th Fleet Band also played a prominent role in promoting goodwill during La Salle's stay in Bulgaria, performing concerts in Varna and Razgrad, as well as conducting a music clinic at the Dobri Hristov National School of the Arts. "The performance at the school was a real eye-opener," said Musician 1st Class Brian Chaplow, band leader during the cruise. "The students were extremely excited to watch us because we're doing what they dream of doing...playing music as a profession." Several U.S. Sailors attended a graduation ceremony at Bulgarian navy boot camp. A community relations project took Sailors to a local orphanage where they painted rooms and shared experiences with residents. "We really made great progress with the teens at the orphanage," said La Salle Chaplain, Lt. Ken Amador. "Our goal going in was to fix up some of their facilities and interact with the residents. One of the teens there told me that our work was not in vain and it's something like that, that really inspires you to keep going." In addition to goodwill events, Sailors explored the community and shopped at many of Varna's open markets. "I found all sorts of vintage t-shirts and clothes," said Operations Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Kevin McCreesh. "The variety of shopping was even greater than something you'd find on an Internet site. The people were friendly and were happy to help us with our lack of knowledge about the Bulgarian language."

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