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CJTF-HOA and Italian counterparts trade knowledge and troops

USMC News

Story Identification Number: 200331051126
Story by Cpl. Andrew W. Miller

USS MOUNT WHITNEY (LCC/JCC-20)(March 10, 2003) -- Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa and the crew of USS Mount Whitney have made working with their coalition partners a prominent part of the training and operations being conducted in the Horn of Africa region during the war against terrorism. Recently, building on the relationship with their Italian counterparts, the Mount Whitney crew and task force members both hosted members from the Italian ship, Mimbelli, and visited the Italian ship March 7.

Mimbelli is a guided missile destroyer and is the premier war fighting ship of the Italian Navy. It is currently serving as the host flagship for Combined Task Force-150 as they conduct sea-control operations in the Horn of Africa maritime operations areas and perform tasks that include vessel escorts, maritime interdiction operations and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance operations.

Four service members from Mimbelli visited USS Mount Whitney. The crewmembers reviewed CJTF-HOA and Mount Whitney tactics, techniques and procedures for fighting the war against terrorism. They also received a tour of the ship, met with Capt. David Prothero, the ship's commanding officer, and had lunch.

In exchange, crewmembers from Mount Whitney and CJTF-HOA, including Maj. Gen. John F. Sattler, CJTF-HOA commander. and other staff members visited the Italian ship.

"The purpose of this evolution was to share information and improve our interoperability with them," said Lt. John F. Troyanos, Joint Operations Center support officer. "We are able to talk on radios and share surveillance, but this gives us a chance to look at each other's systems."

Troyanos, native of Brooklyn, N.Y., went on to say that it is very important for us to have a working relationship with all CTF-150 units considering our mission

Upon a request for assistance, the sailors from Mount Whitney went with the intent to help the Italian service members with technical equipment.

"I went to help them with their Link-11, a unit-to-unit tracking coordination system that allows a broader picture for air and surface contacts." said Petty Officer 1st Class Jaja Oneil, Joint Operations Center leading petty officer and Chicago native. "I taught them how to configure their Link-11 and made configuration suggestions regarding how to tie in their system with the other Link-11s in the Horn of Africa region."

Also on deck to lend a helping hand was Petty Officer 1st Class Francis J. Blindt, information technician.

"They had requested assistance on getting a radio working on a sattelite communication system, so I came out to help," said Blindt, native of West Point, Iowa.

As luck would have it, the problem was relatively simple and Blindt was able to help them out.

"They were very friendly people," he said. "They kept telling me 'thank you' over and over."

Rear Adm. Rinaldo Veri, commander of CTF-150, said the relationship between the two task forces is very important.

"It was a great pleasure to host Maj. Gen. Sattler, and his staff. I appreciate the opportunity to compare notes with our neighbors, and to discuss some crucial future operational issues, including the level of interoperability between CTF-150 and CJTF-HOA," said Veri.

The crew and task force members were equally pleased with the exchange.

"There will always be a desire to do this again in the future," said Troyanos.