Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Visits Souda Bay, Crete, Greece

Photo By Joel Diller | 200929-N-UR565-0140 NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY SOUDA BAY, Greece (Sept. 29, 2020) From left to right: Capt. Rafael C. Facundo, commanding officer, Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Greece; Capt. Timothy Ketter, defense attaché at the U.S. Embassy Athens; Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis walk together on the installation Sept. 29, 2020. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo traveled to Greece, September 28-30, 2020, to meet with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias to renew the shared commitment to advance security, peace, and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Balkans, as well as celebrate what the State Department calls the strongest U.S.-Greek relationship in decades. NSA Souda Bay is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed and when they are needed to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia. (U.S. Navy photo by Joel Diller/Released)  

GREECE

09.29.2020

Story by Joel Diller 

U.S. Naval Support Activity Souda Bay

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spent time with the Naval Support Activity Souda Bay team Sept. 29 as part of his visit to Crete, Greece, where he met with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias.

Capt. Rafael C. Facundo, commanding officer, NSA Souda Bay, briefed Pompeo on the installation’s strategic mission and ongoing projects. NSA Souda Bay serves as the premier intermodal logistics hub for the Fleet and the Joint Force by providing 24/7 access to a major airport, protected deep water pier facility, and fuel and supplies from a strategically important location.

Pompeo visited NSA Souda Bay’s facilities, which are hosted on board the Hellenic Air Force 115th Combat Air Wing military base. He also traveled to the Marathi NATO Pier Facility where he toured a Naval Special Warfare Combatant Craft Medium boat and the Hellenic Navy Frigate H.S. Salamis (F-445).

“Today, I am in Crete to showcase one of America’s strongest military relationships throughout all of Europe,” said Pompeo during a press briefing. “We, the Americans, look to Greece for a true pillar of stability and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean and we are incredibly proud to support its leadership.”

According to the U.S. State Department, Secretary Pompeo’s visit renewed the shared commitment to advance security, peace, and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean and celebrate the strongest U.S.-Greek relationship in decades.

“I think it is very safe to say that the relationship between our two countries is at an all-time high, it is getting stronger,” said Pompeo.

NSA Souda Bay is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed and when they are needed to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia. For more information, visit us at www.cnic.navy.mil/SoudaBay or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NSASoudaBay or Twitter at www.twitter.com/NSA_SoudaBay.

• Date Taken: 09.29.2020
• Date Posted: 09.29.2020 13:36
• Story ID: 379670
• Location: GR