Dear Sailor,
Welcome aboard and congratulations on your assignment to USS BATAAN (LHD 5) - the finest ship in the Fleet! Only the very best Sailors are assigned to this frontline warship and you should be proud to be among them.
BATAAN was commissioned on 20 September 1997 and is the fifth in the WASP class of the United States Navy Multipurpose Amphibious Assault Ships (LHD). LHDs embark, transport, deploy, command, and fully support all elements of a Marine Expeditionary Unit of 2,000 Marines, inserting forces ashore via helicopters, landing craft, and amphibious vehicles as well as various adaptive force packages to include Special Forces (SOF). The WASP class of ships are the first specifically designed to use Landing Craft Air Cushions for assault. LHDs can accommodate the full range of Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and Coalition/SOP aircraft, helicopters, conventional landing craft, and amphibious vehicles along with artillery, ammunition, and other supplies necessary to fully support the assault force.
I strongly encourage you to contact your sponsor as soon as possible to provide your contact information and travel itinerary so we can prepare to assist you with your arrival. BATAAN is currently in an extended maintenance period at NASSCO Shipyard in Norfolk, VA. The living conditions are challenging in the shipyard environment and we have made a consolidated effort to provide privatized housing (PPV) to all of our Sailors. If you are not currently receiving BAH, please reach out to your sponsor to prepare a PPV package in order to expedite off base housing upon your arrival.
Your family is important to us. To minimize the stress of moving, the Navy created a program called "My Navy Family." I highly encourage you to download this app on your mobile device. It contains valuable information on mentoring, networking, employment, and family emergencies. Additionally, it provides information on the Ombudsman Program. Being assigned to a deployable ship, the Ombudsman play a critical role in connecting BATAAN with your family. Should you wish to contact our Ombudsman, they may be reached via email at ussbataanombudsman@gmail.com or phone (757) 550-8822.
The "Welcome Aboard" package and our website (http://www.bataan.navy.mil) provides a wealth of detailed information about your initial reporting procedures, local commands that can assist in your move, and information about our homeport communities.
I look forward to meeting and working with you. Again, congratulations on your assignment to
BATAAN!