She completed repairs in February 1971 and final contract trials in March and then began preparations for her first deployment to the Mediterranean area.

She concluded that tour of duty at Gibraltar on 8 October when she changed operational control back to the 2d Fleet and headed home.

That assignment lasted for the next three years rather than the normal six months and included the relocation of Vreeland dependents to Athens—all as a part of the Navy's forward deployment program.

After post-deployment standdown, she moved south to Norfolk in September for repairs but returned to Philadelphia in October in time to participate in the Navy's 200th birthday celebration on the 13th.

On 25 July, she departed Mayport for a cruise to South America to participate in UNITAS XVIII, the annual series of exercises in which units of various South American navies join the United States Navy in practicing the skills of hemispheric defense.

This aid likely resulted in the transit to South Yemen being completed without loss of control of the ferry by the Greek crew to PLO evacuees.

In December 1990, Vreeland departed Mayport, Florida, to take part in Operation Desert Storm, 17 January – 28 February 1991.

During Vreeland's transit to the Persian Gulf, members of the crew were assigned to the Multi-national Interception Force.

The purpose of this group was to board merchant vessels to ensure cargo was in compliance with United Nations trade embargoes imposed on Iraq.