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ExWar Leaders Cite Domestic-Relief Response Exemplary of Sea Basing Capability

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS051102-11
Release Date: 11/2/2005 3:54:00 PM

By Dan Broadstreet, Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Public Affairs

PANAMA CITY (NNS) -- Military leaders bolstered the 10th annual Expeditionary Warfare conference’s theme, “Joint Expeditionary Forces… Winning Today and Tomorrow,” Oct. 24-27, by praising joint services’ efforts in the recent hurricane-relief operations.

“Expeditionary is where we go, it’s what we do, and it’s who we are. And, I really believe that is the key to winning this global war on terrorism,” Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Mike Mullen said, claiming that Sea Basing was clearly demonstrated by expeditionary and amphibious platforms in U.S. littorals during Joint Task Force Katrina relief operations.

Due to today’s struggles with global terrorism and the recent rash of earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis, almost every speaker’s testimony reiterated the CNO’s primary message – building a future joint-force focused primarily on expeditionary capabilities.

Capt. Richard Callas, commanding officer of USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) cited experiences from the military’s Hurricane Katrina relief response.

“Depending upon where a medical emergency was reported by the regional combatant commander, we would designate the aircraft, tell them where to go, what hospital to go to – and that coordination worked superb: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, National Guard, Marine Corps, Navy – all working hand in hand; and, I think that was jointness at its finest,” Callas said.

Central to the conference’s theme was shaping the Navy by “joining forces” and strategically establishing Sea Basing as a mobile capability. According to Mullen, Callas, and the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps (CMC) Gen. Michael Hagee, this would enable the United States to respond quickly by being able to position itself “anywhere in the world at any time” whether for combat or humanitarian assistance.

Sea Basing is not a new concept according to Mullen who credited Callas’s opening-night speech for pointing out that it was conducted during World War II to support naval forces fighting in the Pacific theatre thousands of miles from U.S. based infrastructures.

Sustaining a large force logistically while operating from the sea was a necessity back then, which can be done today more efficiently with advanced technologies, according to Callas, Mullen, and Hagee.

Adding to Mullen and Callas’ testimonies, Hagee said that today’s forces have proven themselves ready for fighting in a “joint” manner “from the sea.”

“And he’s right about this century concerning our forces,” Hagee said. “When you think of what we did in Iraq – and I’ve talked to this conference before about putting 70,000 Marines and Sailors ashore in Kuwait in less than 60 days with all their sustainment and all their equipment ready to cross the line of departure on time – no other force in the world can do that.”

Director of Expeditionary Warfare Division Maj. Gen. Gordon Nash echoed Mullen and Hagee’s claim that today’s technology should be viewed as a factor of empowerment paving the way to build a future force of ships, aircraft, and equipment. In turn, the Services – domestic and allied would be ready and capable of responding regardless of whether or not forces were permitted access to key shore-based facilities.

Nash re-emphasized the need to increase technological innovation while dealing with constrained budgets.

“According to these leaders, the challenge left to the Defense/Industry team was to build it – and to do it on time, on cost,” Nash said.