US Navy ship leaves RP this weekend

by Frencie L. Carreon

The USS Rentz, one of the US Navy frigate ships that is in country
today, leaves Philippine waters this weekend, after two months of its
personnel working together with Filipino soldiers in humanitarian
service activities in Zamboanga Del Sur and Tawi-Tawi provinces.

"The Rentz was here to conduct military-to-military training with
counterparts from the AFP and worked with the AFP on various community
improvement projects," said United States Joint Special Operations
Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) Public Affairs Officer Maj. Kenneth
Hoffman in an interview.

"U.S. Navy ships routinely make port calls in a variety of locations.
This port call was a demonstration of our continuing close
relationship with the Philippines," Hoffman elaborated, saying that
"The ship arrived here on July 1 and made port calls in Pagadian (the
capital city of Zamboanga Del Sur province) and Tawi Tawi."

The USS Rentz, commanded by Commander Dave Glenister, is approximately
453 foot long, and weighs 4,100 tons. Hoffman said it is "typical of
a class of U.S. Navy ships known as fast frigates. They are some of
the most maneuverable vessels in the U.S. fleet capable of operating
in a wide variety of situations and environments."

The activities conducted by Rentz sailors with the Filipino soldiers
in Tawi-Tawi and Pagadian City were focused on community relations and
engineering projects.

"The Rentz is still in the Philippines and is scheduled to depart this
weekend," Hoffman concluded.