Official U.S. Navy website - Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet

SAN DIEGO – USS BENFOLD (DDG 65) successfully completed engineering certification during Unit Level Training Assessment-Engineering (ULTRA-E), in November, after a successful six month Extended Docking Ship Repair Availability (EDSRA).

BENFOLD Commanding Officer, CDR David Oden, said, "The unbelievable commitment and dedication demonstrated by BENFOLD’s crew made this a success."

BENFOLD’s Damage Control Training Team (DCTT) Coordinator, DCC (SW) Luis Lopez, expressed how much the Sailors put in countless hours of hard work to ensure the success of the most important portion of the certification, the main space fire drill.

"The crew brought their ‘A’ game and I couldn’t be more impressed with their motivation," stated Lopez.

BENFOLD Executive Officer, CDR Richard LeBron, a former Propulsion Plant Assessor with Afloat Training Group, said "It’s hard to express how important the enormous combined experience of the outside assessors can be to preparing a ship. BENFOLD has gained invaluable insights that will bring dividends far into the future."

BENFOLD is an Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer homeported in San Diego, CA. She also serves as one of the Navy’s premier Ballistic Missile Defense ships in the Pacific.