2000s On 29 June 2004,
Bridge was formally decommissioned and transferred from the US Navy to
Military Sealift Command (MSC). Although the transfer to MSC occurred on 29 June 2004, the ceremony took place on 24 June 2004.
Bridge no longer carries the weapons systems she had been equipped with. As a commissioned warship,
Bridge was equipped with two
Phalanx CIWS (Block I) mounts, one
NSSM launcher (with two
Mk 91 directors), two
Mk. 38 25-mm chain guns, six
.50 caliber heavy machine gun mounts, and two
M60 GPMG mounts (on the bow), along with various
small arms carried by her Navy crew.
2010s In March 2011, in company with the carrier ,
Bridge was deployed off northeastern
Honshu,
Japan to assist with relief efforts after the
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. After multiple inspections for radiation traces due to the
Fukushima nuclear disaster, it was determined that it was unlikely the ship was exposed to the radiation leaking from the
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Bridge conducted 25 underway replenishment operations, delivering more than 1.8 million gallons of fuel in support of
Operation Tomodachi. The ship was then decommissioned shortly after. In April 2013, it was announced that MSC will take
Bridge, and her sister ship , out of service in 2014 as a cost-saving measure. The ships' gas turbine propulsion make them faster than other Navy supply ships, but also make them consume more fuel. As of 2018,
Bridge was in reserve, at
NISMF Bremerton. Two of her commanding officers, CAPT
Rick Wren and CAPT
Carol Pottenger have since gone on to achieve flag rank. ==Notes==