U.S. Navy Ship Receives Warm Reception in Batumi ( July 14-19, 2009)
The USS Stout, a guided missile destroyer, made calls in Batumi and Poti on July 14-19 as part of regular U.S. Navy visits to the Black Sea. The ship and her crew participated in joint training exercises with the Georgian Coast Guard. While in Batumi, sailors lent a hand in painting an orphanage and mingling with the children. The ship's captain, Cmdr. Mark Oberley, paid courtesy calls on local officials. Among guests invited on board for a reception were Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and U.S. Ambassador John Tefft.
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