Marines Embark USS Farragut; Exchange Expertise with Uruguayan Maritime Forces
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS080514-13
Release Date: 5/14/2008 2:31:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class J.T. Bolestridge, George Washington Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (NNS) -- USS Farragut (DDG 99) Sailors, U.S. Marines from the 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company and Uruguayan sailors and Marines completed training and information sharing through an official subject matter expert exchange in Montevideo, May 7.
The embarkation of the 4th Marine Recon Detachment on the Farragut, to work and train alongside "tin can" Sailors while the ship transported them to the Marine training site, was historic in its own right. An embarkation of this nature has not been accomplished in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of focus in more than five decades.
Marine Corps Maj. William Sablan, officer in charge of the 4th Marine Recon Detachment, was focused on the strategic and operational implications of the Marines' presence on the Farragut.
"Coming on board the Farragut as a small deployable unit in order to conduct tailored training operationalizes the Naval Operations Concept strategic guidance that the Commandant and the CNO both signed. It's efficient and flexible, bringing the right force at the right place, at the right time. It's a tremendous experience for me—the Marines feel the same way."
The mission's success demonstrated the interoperability of the Navy and Marine Corps team, as well as the effectiveness of the Navy's guiding principle of Adaptive Force Packaging—the ability to tailor appropriate forces to the mission in any geographic locality.
The Marines deployed from the United States, embarked Farragut, and arrived in Uruguay in a six-day period, proving their ability to respond rapidly to dynamic world circumstances. The mission was accomplished with a compliment of only 15 Marines, which consisted only of specific experts required to complete the bilateral training.
Cmdr. Scott Dugan, Farragut's commanding officer was pleased with the embarkation and the knowledge exchange that took place.
"Having the 4th Marine Recon Detachment on board provided an excellent opportunity to conduct training between the Marines and Farragut Sailors on tactics, techniques and procedures," said Dugan. "It also allowed us to bring a unique capability to Uruguay where Marines from both countries worked together to improve readiness and interoperability in support of our common interests of maritime security and stability."
The 4th Marine Recon Detachment, 24th Marines, which had embarked Farragut on May 1, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with the necessary equipment and expertise to accomplish the exchange, rejoined Marines from the 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company already in Uruguay to train with Uruguayan Sailors and Marines.
Upon arriving in Montevideo, subject matter experts from Uruguay and the U.S. shared knowledge on Non-combatant Evacuation Operation exercises, Marine Corps martial arts, small boat operations, crew-served weapons training and tactical operation techniques.
Marine Capt. Mike Guinn, from 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company, said combined exercises provide unique training opportunities.
"Joint training environments take you from the surroundings you get comfortable with during daily scenarios and put a new spin on things," said Guinn. "Your mind can get complacent when you do the same thing repeatedly and the new perspectives you get from these joint training opportunities really open your mind up."
Cmdr. Robert Rafford, Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 40 chief staff officer, said these exercises help build trust and cooperation between our partner nations as well as between the different components of the U.S. maritime forces.
"Training with our Uruguayan partners develops professional understanding of one another and reassures our friends and allies of the United States' commitment to peace and security cooperation in the Western Hemisphere," said Rafford. "We can go anywhere in the world with our maritime forces, but we need the trust and cooperation of our partner nations to make them effective."
As Rear Adm. Philip Hart Cullom, Commander of the George Washington Carrier Strike Group (GW CSG), summarized, "It's about putting words into actions, making the ideas of the Naval Operations Concept and the Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower come alive. These Marines and Sailors have done just that!"
The 4th Marine Recon Detachment and Farragut, part of the GW CSG, along with Carrier Air Wing 17, DESRON 40, and USS Kauffman (FFG-59), are participating in Partnership of the Americas, an ongoing SOUTHCOM sponsored engagement operation designed to strengthen regional partnerships, enhance multinational interoperability and improve hemispheric security.
For more news from USS George Washington, visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn73/.
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