厚木海軍飛行場
In 1988, "Curts" received the armed forces expeditionary medal for serving with the battle group during Operation Earnest Will in the north Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. Additionally, "Curts" changed homeport to Yokosuka, Japan, becoming one of the first two guided-missile frigates to join the Forward Deployed Naval Force (FDNF). "Curts" was first to bring the LAMPS MK III helicopters to Naval Air Facility Atsugi.