Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Royal Jordanian navy Command Master Chief Petty Officer Khalaf Awad Nassar Almarayeh visited Naval Station (NAVSTA) Norfolk and surrounding bases March 15-18.

“It is a true privilege to be here. Our alliance with America is of great importance to us and I truly appreciate the great partnership we share. Visits such as these just enhance that partnership,” Almarayeh said. “Our officers are coming here to receive training and our new enlisted group is now modeled after that of the United States military.”

During his four day visit, Almarayeh toured multiple facilities on NAVSTA Norfolk to include Fleet and Family Support Center; Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities; the Navy Exchange complex; the galley; and received a tour of USS Bataan (LHD 5). At NAVSTA Norfolk, Almarayeh attended chief petty officer 365 training where he addressed the attendees.

In addition to touring NAVSTA Norfolk, Almarayeh also received a base and cutter tour on board U.S. Coast Guard Base Portsmouth and a tour of Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.

“The hospitality and generosity that everyone showed was overwhelming,” Almarayeh said. “I was here about eight years ago and the base has grown so much. It has been a great visit overall and I will go back with a better sense of the operations that take place here, at the Coast Guard base and at Little Creek.”

Relations between the U.S. and Jordan have been close for over four decades. U.S. policy seeks to reinforce Jordan’s commitment to peace, stability, and moderation. The peace process and Jordan’s opposition to terrorism parallel and indirectly assist wider U.S. interests. The Royal Jordanian navy is the naval entity of the Jordanian armed forces.

As Jordan is landlocked except at its southern extremity, with only 16 miles of shoreline along the Gulf of Aqaba providing access to the Red Sea, its naval force comprises 27 patrol boats, and has a total complement of more than 700 excluding 77th Marines Reconnaissance Battalion.

*The Flagship