Military

Amphibious Group TWO
Commander, Task Force 22 (CTF-22)
COMPHIBSTRIKFOR (NATO)
Amphibious Task Force - East

Commander, Amphibious Group (CPG) 2 was disestablished 31 December 2006, and commissioned as Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 2 [COMEXSTRKGRU TWO], per CNO guidance regarding alignment of Expeditionary Strike Groups and Amphibious Groups. This culminated nearly a year of preparation to become an operational command ready to deploy to the Middle East. Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group TWO is an Echelon 4 command, reporting to Echelon 3 Commander, Second Fleet.

Since its inception during World War II, Commander, Amphibious Group TWO had been at the forefront of the Amphibious Navy. Consisting of 35 individual and diverse commands, the composition of the Group runs the entire spectrum of amphibious warfare with four Amphibious Squadrons, Naval Beach Group TWO, two Tactical Air Control Squadrons, 19 ships and over 12,000 personnel. As times have changed, so has the mission, vision, and guiding principles of the command. Units in the Group now employ some of the most technologically advanced equipment but, as always, the backbone of the Group is the young sailor or marine.

The Chief of Staff is the executor for, and principal assistant to COMPHIBGRU TWO. He is responsible to COMPHIBGRU TWO for ensuring that the organization, administration, training, readiness, and operations of the Staff are carried out in conformance with the policies, plans, and intentions of COMPHIBGRU TWO. Under the Chief of Staff, the Staff is organized into eight departments as follows:

• N1 Administration
• N2 Intelligence
• N3 Operations and Plans
• N4 Logistics, Material, Maintenance
• N5 Plans, Policy, and Exercises
• N6 Communications
• N7 Readiness and Training
• N8 Aviation

The Flag Secretary is the head of administrative and personnel functions under the Chief of Staff. The Assistant Administrative Officer assists the Flag Secretary in staff administrative functions as required, and works directly under the Chief of Staff for personnel and administrative matters pertaining to ships and other subordinate commands.

The Assistant Chief Of Staff, Intelligence (ACOS INTEL) (N2) is responsible for the collection, evaluation, and dissemination of intelligence material required to carry out the COMPHIBGRU TWO mission. Acts as the principal Staff Assistant to the Group Commander on all matters of military intelligence data and force intelligence equipments. Ensures the provision of all-source intelligence data to maintain the military/political awareness of the Group Commander and his Staff. Directs the Joint Intelligence Center in the support of amphibious operations. Acts as a single point of contact within the Group for all interfaces with the fleet/theater/national intelligence communities in obtaining support and information on all countries within the prescribed areas of responsibility.

The Assistant Chief Of Staff, Operations, Plans And Exercises (ACOS OPLANS) (N3) is responsible for the organization and employment of all amphibious ships and units per approved policies, directives, and plans; for preparing basic estimates, studies, operational plans, and orders derived from directives received from higher authority or as may be required for coordinating the planning activities of the Staff, and for the supervision of an evaluation of planned actions; for the preparation and execution of all assigned exercises and operational commitments.

The Maintenance and Material Officer (N4) enhances operational readiness by providing direct fleet support for maintenance, repair, training and upkeep in the Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Force. Identify and advise Group Commanders of resource deficiencies causing adverse effects on unit readiness. Identify to TYCOM class problems and material readiness trends.

The Operations, Plans, and Exercises Department (N5) provides subject matter expertise to LANTFLT for concepts development. Assists in doctrine and policy development. Serves as COMPHIBGRU TWO's lead representative at concepts, doctrine and policy conferences. Conducts long range planning for exercises other than pre-deployment training exercises. Planning responsibility continues through the Final Planning Conference (FPC), at which time final planning and execution are passed to the N3 section. Maintain EUCOM/NATO war contingency plans. Acts as principal point of contact for outside agencies in support of technology demonstrations and fleet experiments. Handles special projects as directed by COMPHIBGRU TWO.

The Assistant Chief of Staff for Communications (ACOS COMM) (N6) arranges for reliable, secure and rapid communications based on wartime requirements adequate to meet the needs of COMPHIBGRU TWO in carrying out assigned mission. Prepares communications plans and directives, and reviews communication plans of subordinate commands. Maintains liaison with other services, joint or allied commands and other government and civilian agencies on communications matters. Functions as the Communications Security Officer for COMPHIBGRU TWO, implementing necessary directives to ensure maximum communication security enforced. Maintains liaison with the ACOS INTEL (N2) in matters of COMSEC, SIGSEC, and SIGEX implementation and posture. Assists in future plans, installations and continued reliable support for Group combat systems.

N7 Readiness and Training Mission/Areas of Responsibility include matters of readiness and training for: tactical training strategy; inter deployment training cycle exercise planning; deck seamanship; inspections and assist visits; safety and environmental; Senior Officer Observer Team (SOOT); awards PQS review; Surface Warfare Training Week; Midshipman summer training; and foreign navy liaisons.

The ACOS AVIATION is responsible for the coordination and monitoring of all air operations, maintenance, readiness and training for all COMPHIBGRU TWO air capable amphibious ships, pre-comm units and aviation units per approved policies, directives, and plans; for coordination and conducting all ISIC level inspections and evaluations as directed by higher authority; for management of overall long term aviation readiness planning to ensure all amphibious ships chop to the numbered fleet commander ready.

In 1991 Marine Amphibious Ready Group Three, an eight-ship task force was diverted from sailing home after duty in Desert Shield/Desert Storm join Operation Sea Angel, the response to a devastating killer cyclone struck the nation of Bangladesh, killing over 100,000 people.

The ships of Mediterranean Amphibious Ready Group (MARG) 2-93 and Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) marked the fourth month of deployment with their second major amphibious exercise, Alexandros '93. This was the first bilateral U.S.-Greek amphibious exercise since 1978. USS Saipan (LHA 2) participated in MARG 2-93 with USS Pensacola and USS Ponce (LPD 15).

The Marines and sailors of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and the USS Wasp (LHD 1) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) participated in the 10-day trilateral exercise "Eager Mace '93-2." Eager Mace 93-2 demonstrated the continuing U.S. commitment to the security and stability of the Arabian Gulf region. The ARG, also comprising USS Nashville (LPD 13), USS Barnstable County (LST 1197 and USS El Paso (LKA 117), was involved in a total of four major amphibious exercises with Gulf region countries during its deployment to the Naval Forces Central Command area of responsibility.

The USS Guadalcanal (LPH 7) Amphibious Ready Group of the USS America JTG completed a six month Mediterranean deployment upon return to homeports of Norfolk and Little Creek, Va on 05 February 1994. The ARG, under the command of CAPT Guy Myslivy, consisted of USS Guadalcanal (LPH 7) CAPT Phil Sowa commanding, USS Shreveport (LPD 12) CAPT Al Harms commanding, and USS Ashland (LSD 48) CAPT Doug Keith Commanding, with 1,800 Marines of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22 MEU) embarked. The MEU was under the command of Col Jan Huly. The ARG departed Norfolk, Va on August 11, 1993 and proceeded to Morehead City, NC to embark the Marines of 22 MEU. Upon completion of the Marine onload, the ARG joined other units of JTG 93-2 for the Atlantic transit. Arriving on station in the Mediterranean in late August, the ARG immediately assumed duties as Task Force Six One. During September and October, in addition to contingency operations in the Adriatic in support of operations Deny Flight and Provide Promise, the ARG participated in the amphibious exercise Spanish phiblex off the southern coast of Spain and exercise Dynamic Guard off the Turkish coast. Additionally, USS Ashland and elements of 22 MEU conducted Black Sea operations and a port visit to Constanta, Romania. On October 11,1993, the ARG transited the Suez Canal enroute to Somalia to conduct contingency operations in the vicinity of the capital city of Mogadishu. The ARG remained on station off of Somalia through October and early November before returning to the Mediterranean. After completing additional contingency operations in the Adriatic, the ARG was relieved as Task Force Six One by Commander Amphibious Squadron Four, embarked in USS Inchon, accompanied by USS Trenton, USS Portland, and USS Spartanburg County as the Amphibious element of the USS Saratoga JTG.

In April 1994, after the highly successful completion of the bilateral amphibious exercise Alexander the Great 94, the ships of Marine Amphibious Ready Group 1-94 [MARG 1-94] sailed to their next ports of call. Inchon and Trenton steamed to Naples, Italy not only to relax, but to conduct an IMAV with the USS Simon Lake. USS Portland set sail North after Alexander the Great to conduct Black Sea OPS. Port visits were scheduled for the USS Portland in Istanbul, Turkey, Varna, Bulgaria, and Constanta Romania.