Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United States Navy

“This is the foundation that enables our Sailors to be an effective warfighting force,” said Rear Adm. Blackmon, vice commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command. “Our ability to be well-trained and work efficiently in the MOC on day one acts as a deterrent to our adversaries.”

The MAKO exercise series is conducted annually at the Navy Warfare Development Center (NWDC) in Norfolk, the Navy Reserve OLW Center of Excellence in San Diego, and other key locations nationwide to ensure reserve Sailors are prepared to support their active-duty counterparts in real-world situations with hands-on experience.

“It makes a tremendous difference in our ability to go into the numbered fleet commands, stand the watch, and provide the commander with the best decisions to execute at an operational level of war,” said Rear Adm. Ruttenberg, reserve deputy commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet.

The U.S. Navy acts as a bastion of defense across the globe, and MAKO is crucial for maintaining readiness and adapting to rapidly changing situations worldwide. The unique perspective of reservists, who work in diverse civilian occupations, adds valuable insights to the exercise and prompts the active duty coordinators to improve training based on feedback gathered each year.

“I really like the fast pace of the watchfloor,” shared Intelligence Specialist 3rd Class Meghan McLellan from U.S. Fleet Forces about her first experience at MAKO Global. “I would recommend everyone do at least one MAKO, especially in your first two years, to get a good situational awareness of how information is passed and used.”

As Sailors continue to attend MAKO exercises, the MOC becomes a familiar environment allowing them to excel when manning watchstations and operate comfortably on the operational level of warfare.

“You’re here wearing the cloth of the nation,” concluded Rear Adm. Blackmon. “Thank you for what you do.”

This integrated training operation is a unique partnership between reserve and active-duty Sailors across the U.S. and is integral in preparing them to perform at the highest level upon deployment. As MAKO continues to evolve every year with the support of Sailors across the nation, so does the reserve force.

Source: United States Navy

Romania hosted exercise Eurasian Partnership Mine Countermeasure (EPMCM) in and around Constanța, while the latter exercise was the Bulgarian-hosted TRITON, which took place at Varna Naval Station. The exercises, designed to increase interoperability with NATO Allies in the Black Sea region, focused on mine countermeasures (MCM), demolition operations, and helicopter cast and recovery.

“Maritime exercises like EPMCM and TRITON strengthen our collective security alongside our Black Sea Allies on NATO’s Eastern Flank and strengthen our collective capabilities to be ready to demine the Black Sea when conditions permit,” said Capt. Geoffrey Townsend, Commodore, CTF 68. “We are grateful for these opportunities to train alongside our Allies in Romania and Bulgaria, and grateful for their wealth of knowledge and experience in this area.”

EPMCM is an annual exercise hosted by the Romanian Navy near the important Romanian port city of Constanța. This year’s iteration involved personnel from Bulgaria, France, Romania, Türkiye, the United States, and observers from Japan. Participants conducted multi-national floating mine response training to increase capability and interoperability for future mine countermeasures operations in the Black Sea.

TRITON 2024 was the fourth annual diving exercise hosted by the Bulgarian Navy in Varna. Five Allied nations, including Bulgaria, France, Romania, Türkiye, and the United States, participated in the latest iteration of the exercise. These nations came together to train in executing NATO procedures and standards for underwater diving and demolition operations, bolstering interoperability among participants in neutralizing the mine threat at sea.

“The camaraderie built at these important exercises builds a foundation for future multi-national engagements like this,” said EODMU 8’s officer-in-charge for the exercises. “Our team performed admirably in these exercises and came away with a greater understanding of MCM operations in this region by working alongside our close Allies.”

Both exercises came shortly before another MCM-focused exercise involving Black Sea nations, Sea Breeze 2024-1, kicked off in Glasgow, Scotland, and concurrently with other MCM training in the Baltic Sea. Taken together, CTF 68’s routine participation in these exercises demonstrates the U.S. Navy’s commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation in international waters. The exercises, designed to identify and neutralize the threat of mine warfare in European waters, particularly in the Black Sea, ensure maritime safety and security throughout the continent.

CTF 68, headquartered in Rota, Spain, commands all Navy Expeditionary Forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility and is responsible for providing EOD operations, naval construction, expeditionary security, and theater security efforts in direct support of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) and U.S. Sixth Fleet.

For over 80 years, NAVEUR-NAVAF has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.

Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the USEUCOM and USAFRICOM areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.

Source: United States Navy

Through a phased approach, the U.S. plans to convert U.S. Forces Japan into a joint force headquarters which will report to the commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the U.S. secretary of defense said today following the conclusion of a two-plus-two ministerial meeting in Tokyo.

Included in the meeting were Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa and Japan’s Minister of Defense Minoru Kihara.

“We welcome an historic decision to modernize our alliance command and control to better meet the challenges of today and tomorrow,” said Austin during a press briefing today that followed the high-level meetings. “The United States will upgrade the U.S. Forces Japan to a joint force headquarters with expanded missions and operational responsibilities.” 

The new joint force headquarters will be commanded by a three-star officer and will serve as a counterpart to Japan’s own Japan Self-Defense Forces Joint Operations Command, Austin said. 

“This will be the most significant change to U.S. Forces Japan since its creation, and one of the strongest, improvements in our military ties with Japan in 70 years,” he said. “Japan’s new Joint Operations Command will further allow our forces to work together more closely than ever. And these new operational capabilities and responsibilities will advance our collective deterrence.” 

Austin said the change is based on a desire to work more closely with Japan and enhance the effectiveness of the existing relationship. 

Also part of the discussions, Austin said, were ways to increase bilateral presence in Japan’s Southwest Islands; a reaffirmation of the importance of cooperation on cybersecurity, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, cross-domain operations and bilateral exercises and training; and ideas for new areas for defense industrial cooperation. 

According to a joint statement by the Security Consultative Committee, meeting participants discussed co-production opportunities to expand production capacity of both Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles. 

“Finally, we held a separate two-plus-two ministerial level meeting on extended deterrence, and that has never been done before,” Austin said. “During that meeting, I reaffirmed our ironclad commitment to defend Japan with the full range of our capabilities, including our nuclear capabilities.” 

As part of the extended deterrence meeting, participants discussed, among other things, North Korea’s destabilizing activities in the region, including its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs; China’s expansion of its nuclear arsenal; and Russia’s unlawful arms transfers with North Korea. 

Austin said he considered both meetings in Tokyo to be a success. 

“We are reinforcing our combined ability to deter and respond to coercive behavior in the Indo-Pacific and beyond,” he said. “We’re reinforcing the rules-based international order that keeps us all safe. And the agreements that we’ve advanced today will ensure that the U.S.-Japan alliance remains a cornerstone of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”

Source: United States Navy

Medical professionals from Burlington will be visiting four different sites during this visit including a joint medical brigade with the Honduran military at Franklin Delano Roosevelt School and subject matter expert exchanges at Puerto Cortes Hospital. Along with those events, U.S. Navy biomedical technicians will work with Honduran practitioners to assess and repair medical equipment.

“We’re excited to work with the military of Honduras, their medical professionals, their veterinary professionals, and see in what ways we can help the Honduran people,” said Lt. Cmdr. Zachary Smith, mission commander for Continuing Promise 2024.

Continuing Promise 2024 comes equipped to provide treatment not only to human patients, but to their animal companions as well. A U.S. Army veterinary team will be working with Honduran veterinary professionals to share knowledge and experience on providing treatment and vaccinations.

“The things that we’ve been learning thus far on the Continuing Promise mission are two-fold,” said Maj. Crystal Lindaberry, a U.S. Army veterinary clinical specialist and Continuing Promise 2024 veterinary officer-in-charge from the 248th Medical Detachment Veterinary Service Support. “It’s given us a chance to hone the skills that we need on our military medical side. It’s also been learning about the tropical diseases they have here and how the doctors here approach and cure them, because we don’t see a lot of these diseases at home.”

Being able to provide medical care in emergency situations is an important part of the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) initiative of Continuing Promise 2024, as U.S. Department of Defense personnel will train and exchange knowledge alongside personnel from the Permanent Contingency Commission of Honduras (COPECO) and non-government organization partners such as Pacific Disaster Group and Pacific Response Group.

Women, Peace, and Security is a major UN initiative aimed at promoting and understanding the disproportionate amount of violence women face globally. Continuing Promise is committed to supporting the initiative with two multi-day seminars at Ciudad Mujer, bringing together decision-makers and representatives of organizations to provide the community with the information and tools to combat gender-based violence and inequality.

U.S. Navy construction personnel, known as “Seabees,” will provide construction and engineering support at Ciudad Mujer, where they will be extending a concrete pad for ambulance offload and repairing an awning to provide shade for children at the site’s playground.

“My expectation is that my team should be able to get everything done in the time allotted,” said Builder 1st Class Gabriel Murga Altan, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One, “I’m expecting that it’s going to be an improvement to the center and allow it to keep providing the services that it provides the patients.”

The U.S. Fleet Forces Band, called “Uncharted Waters,” will have multiple performances at schools around the Cortes Department.

Continuing Promise 2024 will be in Puerto Cortes and San Pedro Sula from July 27 until August 4.

USNAVSOUTH/FOURTHFLT is the trusted maritime partner for Caribbean, Central and South America maritime forces leading to improved unity, security and stability. Learn more about USNAVSOUTH/4th Fleet at https://www.fourthfleet.navy.mil, https://www.facebook.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT and @NAVSOUS4THFLT.