Navy's First Trained Expeditionary Strike Group Deploys from San Diego
Navy Newsstand
Story Number: NNS030826-13
Release Date: 8/26/2003 4:38:00 PM
By Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Jason Heavner, Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs & Lt. Chris Davis, Expeditionary Strike Group 1 Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 1 set sail Aug. 22 from Naval Station San Diego for what would be the maiden voyage for the Navy's first ESG.
The group, consisting of USS Peleliu (LHA 5), USS Germantown (LSD 42), USS Ogden (LPD 5), USS Jarrett (FFG 33) and USS Decatur (DDG 73), as well as the Marines of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), departed homeport following a compressed and rigorous training cycle.
The strike group centers on the flexibility and readiness of a combined expeditionary unit and an amphibious readiness group (ARG); in this case, the 13th MEU and the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group. Augmenting the ARG, three surface combatants - a destroyer, frigate and cruiser - and a fast-attack submarine will arm the group with capabilities similar to that of a carrier battle group.
The additional four vessels give ESG-1 operational freedom and expanded warfare capabilities, not only by land with embarked Marines, but at sea, as well.
ESG-1 Commander, Rear Adm. Robert T. Conway Jr. said, "What makes this group unique is the fact that we will be able to operate from a tactical level and an operational level of warfare. This gives us a more diversified way of battling deterrents, which I believe is the key to fighting the global war on terrorism."
"I think that with the speed and versatility of surface combatants such as Jarrett, it will enhance the strike group's capabilities as a whole. Our role will not be that much different in this strike group than our previous deployments. We'll still provide escorts for the amphibious groups, maritime interdiction operations, as well as exercising our anti-submarine warfare capabilities," said Cmdr. Robert Hospodar, Jarrett's commanding officer.
In its preparations for deployment, Peleliu took part in an ESG exercise in May.
They participated in a non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO), which focuses on extracting civilians from hostile environments.
Once the civilians are brought to Peleliu, ESG-1's flagship, they are sheltered, fed and cared for until they can be returned to the United States or another non-hostile environment. NEO is one of the amphibious Navy's primary missions.
Throughout its training cycle, ESG-1 was evaluated on its ability to receive mission tasking from a higher authority and rapidly turn that tasking around to the subordinate commands within the strike group in the execution of the mission.
"The young men and women of this group have performed exceptionally, and it has been hard," said Conway. "We have taken different cultures, not only between the Navy and Marine Corps, but between the amphibious ready group culture and the cruiser-destroyer group culture. It has been challenging, but we have come a long way in a very compressed time frame."
Regardless of the missions they will perform during deployment, most Sailors agree that keeping busy is the key to passing the time away from home. Interior Communication Electrician 3rd Class Christopher Orear, of Phoenix, said, "I handle trouble calls on telephones, alarms, televisions, navigation systems and steering. It can be busy at times, but if there is any down time, I'll play video games and read e-mail. I think that'll definitely make the time fly," he added.
For the 5,000 Sailors and Marines of ESG-1, the way ahead is unclear, and is driven by the regional and combatant commanders whose theaters the group will chop.
"We will have only a finite amount of time to execute a mission in support of the combatant commander. The entire group must have complete situational awareness of the entire battle space in order to rapidly and safely execute those missions. Speed will allow us to get in, execute the mission, and get out in preparation for other tasking," said Conway.
The current and future security environment will require some degree of overseas power projection in response. Expeditionary strike groups, like this one, will allow the Navy to maximize its ability to project power from the sea over the land, and deny the enemy the opportunity to do the same.
The group deployed with the five ships homeported here in San Diego and will meet the other two ships in the strike group, guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal (CG 73) and fast-attack submarine USS Greeneville (SSN 772), in their home port of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. ESG-1 will continue unit level and group interoperability training throughout its transit, to further hone tactical watch-stander skills in preparation for arrival into other operational theaters during deployment.
Marines and Sailors of ESG-1 are due to return in April 2004.
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