Registration deadline for free USS Montgomery commissioning tickets extended to July 31

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MONTGOMERY — Missed the deadline to request free tickets to the commissioning of the USS Montgomery (LCS 8) on Sept. 10 in Mobile? Good news: officials have extended the deadline to July 31, giving even more people a chance to request free tickets to the commissioning.

Registration is simple. Visit www.ussmontgomerycommissioning.com and provide a few details along with an address, and the U.S. Navy will send tickets to your home or office.

On September 10, the USS Montgomery will be commissioned in a ceremony at the Alabama State Port Authority’s Pier Two in Mobile. The ceremony will last about an hour, but the pageantry, tradition and overall experience could last a lifetime in memory.

“This is one of the most unique and exciting events we’ve had the pleasure of experiencing, but the real show begins at 10 a.m. on September 10,” USS Montgomery Commissioning Support Committee Chairman Steve Jones said. “It’s absolutely an all Alabama experience since this Independence-Variant Littoral Combat Ship was built, christened and is soon-to-be commissioned in Mobile and named in honor of Alabama’s capital city.”

Rich in diversity and history, Montgomery has a longstanding military tradition thanks to its proximity to Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base. In March 2011, city officials announced Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus selected Montgomery as the namesake for the U.S. Navy’s new breed of warship. The ship was christened in Nov. 2014 by ship sponsor Mary Sessions at Mobile’s Austal USA shipyard. Fast forward five years later, the ship will be commissioned in just a few months at the Alabama State Docks Pier Two in Mobile.

“It is a huge honor to have one of the most technologically advanced warfare systems in the world named after our city – a place known for military pride, patriotism and innovation,” Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said. “We’ve long been known as the Best Hometown in the Air Force, but with this latest recognition, we like to think that we’re quickly becoming the best hometown in the entire military!”

Optimized for coastal missions, but capable of open-ocean operations, USS Montgomery (LCS 8) measures 418 feet in length and can reach speeds in excess of 40 knots. It will provide warfighting capability and operational flexibility to meet the ever changing maritime environment.  The ship, along with its sister ship the USS Independence, can be configured to support a specific mission package tailored for the tactical environment. Mission packages include equipment and personnel aligned to excel in Surface Warfare, Undersea Warfare, and Mine Warfare.

“The USS Montgomery is the second ship named after the city of Montgomery, and it’s the fourth ship of the Independence-Variant of the littoral combat ships, and it’s undoubtedly the best,” Commander Straub said. “These are not just the enthusiastic words of the commanding officer, but this has been proven with the recent acceptance trials. These successful results only add to the excitement my crew and I feel about getting onboard the Montgomery and sailing her to do our nation’s bidding.”

In addition to aligning to one of the aforementioned core missions, The Montgomery is capable of conducting Search and Rescue, Maritime Surveillance and Interdiction, Intelligence gathering, and can facilitate amphibious operations as well as Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief. The ship is planned to operate in the U.S. 7th Fleet.

Commissioning tickets are available free to the public until July 31 at www.ussmontgomerycommissioning.com.

For more information, contact Griffith Waller at [email protected].

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