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SAN DIEGO — The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) has returned to San Diego following an 18-month stay in Washington.

The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is returning to Naval Air Station North Island after completing a docking planned incremental availability (DPIA) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility, according to U.S. Navy officials.

While homeported in Bremerton, WA, Theodore Roosevelt underwent maintenance to modernize the ship’s combat efficiency and ensure sustained operational readiness, a news release said.

According to Navy officials, upgrades to the ship included:

  • Expanding the ship’s air dominance capabilities to support the F-35C Lightning II, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, and CMV-22B Osprey, as well as future platforms such as the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aircraft system.
  • Installation of the Mark 38 Mod III Machine Gun System and upgrades to the AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare suite; Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES); ship self-defense system (SSDS); surface search radar; and AN/SPQ-9 Fire Control System
  • A full restoration of crew habitability areas, including crew living quarters and onboard bathrooms; and preventative maintenance and restoration of the ship’s hull, rudders and rudder shafts

Before the ship had traveled to Washington for an 18-month stint, Theodore Roosevelt was homeported in San Diego and was deployed in the Indo-Pacific region from Dec. 2020 to May 2021

“I’m so grateful for the unrelenting work our crew and our shipyard teammates put into this milestone,” said a quote attributed to Commanding Officer Capt. Brian Schrum. “Their sacrifices have enabled us to rejoin the Fleet and to get back to being a warship for our nation. Thanks as well to our Sailors and their families for their resiliency, and to the Puget Sound communities for their unwavering support.”

The homecoming was both happy and emotional for families of sailors and Marines.

“I’m really proud of her. I’m excited, and I’m very happy for her, because she really enjoys her time in then Navy,” said Jan Workman, as she welcomed home her daughter with her husband Mark Workman.

Jan and Mark Workman’s daughter, Molly Cruz, is an ensign assistance public affairs officer aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Jan and Mark have not seen Cruz in several months. It has been since last December for Jan and last May for Mark.

“I was so excited, I felt like I was going to throw up, just excited knowing we are all going to come home,” Jan said.