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ESG 3 Ready to Deploy

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060127-06
Release Date: 1/28/2006 12:02:00 AM

By Journalist 2nd Class Zack Baddorf, USS Peleliu Public Affairs

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 3 is now certified to deploy in support of the global war on terrorism in February, after successfully completing its 14-day Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) Jan. 26 off the coast of Southern California.

A team of evaluators from Strike Force Training, U.S. Pacific Fleet, embarked the strike group’s flagship, USS Peleliu (LHA 5), and reported favorably on ESG 3’s performance during the training to commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet.

“ESG 3 is really at the top of their game and is a well above average group compared to others we have seen,” said Rear Adm. Mark T. Emerson, commander, Strike Force Training, U.S. Pacific Fleet, who embarked Peleliu for JTFEX. “This is a very impressive group and I’m very proud of their performance.”

JTFEX, the third and final at-sea training evolution ships must complete before deployment, prepared the six ships and more than 6,000 Sailors and Marines of ESG 3 for future operational requirements.

The exercise incorporated operational simulations and the theoretical challenges that U.S. forces in cooperation with coalition militaries might face. The training team had small boats, Lear jets, Cessna propeller aircraft, the Swedish diesel submarine HMS Gotland and other U.S. Navy vessels simulate enemy forces during the training. The scenarios included non-combatant evacuation, humanitarian assistance, maritime interception, amphibious assault and daily flight operations.

“I have to expose this group to almost everything we think that [they’ll] see on deployment,” said Emerson, who headed the Senior Officer Observer Team (SOOT) during JTFEX.

“We stack these events slowly on top of each other to add an intensity to the exercise so you have every single warfare area, every single entity in this group, engaged in many things all at once,” said Emerson. “That’s our final test: to see if the group, the staff, the individual units, the warfare commanders, (everyone) all the way down to the console operator and the rifleman, can put it all together, and this group has done very, very well.”

ESG 3 Commander, Marine Brig. Gen. Carl Jensen said he is “very proud of the continuous and steep improvement ESG 3 made made every step of the way. The training and long hours of preparation really came together in JTFEX and I couldn’t be more proud of the team’s performance.”

“Absolutely” certain of ESG 3’s readiness to deploy, Jensen said he expects the strike group to “make a positive difference wherever she sails, whether that involves actual combat operations, maritime security operations, humanitarian assistance, or anything in between.”

“Like every Sailor and Marine on board, I’m tremendously proud of this opportunity to serve our nation in a combat arena,” said Jensen, who is embarked aboard Peleliu with his staff.

During their upcoming Western Pacific deployment, ESG 3 will be “our nations best hope,” said Rear Adm. Christopher C. Ames, commander, Amphibious Group 3, who embarked Peleliu during ESG 3’s Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX). “They soon will carry the flag of the United States forward, anywhere in the world, because of the great maneuverability afforded [to] naval forces, who can go anywhere with unimpeded access, where the scene of action is. So, they have a heavy responsibility that lies ahead of them.”

Internal communications division officer Lt. j.g. Greg Kurtz said he’s ready. Standing the officer-of-the-deck (OOD) watch has prepared him “very well” for the deployment, he said. When on watch, Kurtz had the ship’s Small Craft Action Team (SCAT) respond to and simulate an engagement against a small boat attack .

“The training prepares us for situations that might actually happen and we learn from our mistakes here,” said Kurtz. “We can’t [make] mistakes when we deploy because lives are at risk. The training is giving us the chance to understand how to deal with the threat.”
Emerson said ESG 3 was “very, very proactive” in approaching the situations and did “exceptionally well.”

Kurtz added that these simulated emergency situations brought the bridge team together.

“You put everyone … of these watch standers on edge, as if dealing with a real situation, so they’re prepared if it actually happens,” he said. “This way they won’t freeze up and not know how to handle the excitement.”

While Kurtz and other OODs are responsible for the ship’s navigation and the safety of the crew from the bridge, the tactical action officers (TAO) work in the Combat Information Center to defend the ship and employ weapons systems.

One of five TAOs on Peleliu, Lt. Cmdr. Chris White, said this training has “been great for the strike group.

“We’ve definitely got the building blocks,” said White, who is also Peleliu’s navigator. “Every mission is different but we definitely have the foundation laid for a wide variety of situations. We’ve worked out the bugs.”

While ESG 3 did well during the work-ups, Emerson said the group needs to “never stop practicing, rehearsing, exercising, and learning.”

ESG 3 completed its first work-up, ESG Integration Exercise (ESGINT), Nov. 18 and its COMPTUEX Dec. 16. The group is comprised of Amphibious Squadron 3, the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Peleliu, the guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal (CG 73), the guided-missile frigate USS Reuben James (FFG 57), the dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42), the guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzales (DDG 66) with the crew of the guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58), the amphibious transport dock USS Ogden (LPD 5), Tactical Air Control Squadron 11, and the "Black Jacks" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21.

The Military Sealift Command (MSC) hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), the guided-missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG 92), and the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Asheville (SSN 758) participated in the training but will not deploy with the strike group.