USS PONCE PAO SMALL CREST
Nicknamed “Proud Lion,” Ponce was reclassified from an amphibious transport dock ship to an interim afloat forward staging base with a hybrid crew of Navy and Military Sealift Command personnel. They deployed to the Navy’s U.S. 5th Fleet and had been forward-deployed there since July 2012.
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NORFOLK (June 1, 2012) Afloat Forward Staging Base (Interim) USS Ponce (AFSB(I) 15) departs Naval Station Norfolk. Ponce will fulfill a long-standing requirement from U.S. Central Command for an AFSB. U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kayla Jo Finley/Released)