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CARAT Exercises Come to a Close

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080818-07
Release Date: 8/18/2008 3:56:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Dan Meaney, Commander Task Force 73 Public Affairs

SINGAPORE (NNS) -- Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT), an annual series of bilateral military and humanitarian exercises between the United States and several Southeast Asian nations, came to a close Aug. 10 with the closing ceremony of the final phase in Brunei.

CARAT participants conduct the exercises to improve their maritime readiness.

"Seaborne threats such as armed robbery, piracy, drug smuggling, human trafficking and terrorism are real," Rear Adm. Nora W. Tyson, commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific, said during the exercise. "Many of these threats cross international borders, requiring likeminded maritime forces to cooperate and share real-time information to keep the world safe."

Officers from Vietnam and Bangladesh observed different phases of CARAT training to help them better consider potential future participation in the exercise.

During this 14th CARAT deployment, the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard exercised with armed forces from the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei. In addition to maritime security and conventional combat operations training, CARAT evolutions also included community relations projects, medical and dental civic action projects and engineering civic action projects. To help the participants unwind and get to know one another better, the various countries' troops also came together for sports days.

Capt. Michael W. Selby, commander, Destroyer Squadron One and the commander for this year's five-ship CARAT task group, said all of these evolutions were parts of the overarching strategy of all U.S. seagoing forces.

"The United States maritime strategy is founded on the tenets of engagement and interoperability, linking global stability to the ideals of cooperation and maritime partnerships," Selby explained. "Our strategy seeks to enhance security of the maritime domain, respond to the full spectrum of crises, and to ensure we are prepared for any uncertainty in the future."

Over the course of four months, the crews completed 23 community relations projects in five countries. Medical and dental personnel provided basic services to more than 5,000 civilians during a number of civic action projects — many in remote rural locations — in the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia.

A detachment of Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 worked with their host country counterparts on long-term projects to build an elementary school building in Narra, Palawan Island in the Philippines, a school building in Rayong Province in Thailand, and an elementary school assembly building in Kemaman, Malaysia.

Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit One, embarked on USNS Safeguard (T-ARS 50), conducted more than 100 training dives, many of them to provide orientation for host country divers in the use of the KM-37 diving helmet.

"This deployment presented us with an opportunity to make new friends—friends who have many of the same goals and challenges—fellow mariners who share a calling to protect our nations, to keep the sea safe and open for our global economy to prosper, and to provide assistance when our fellow man is suffering from a natural disaster," Selby said. "That's a big job for all of us. No one can do it alone."

This year's CARAT task force included USS Tortuga (LSD 46), USS Ford (FFG 54), USS Jarrett (FFG 33), USNS Safeguard (T-ARS 50) and USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC 722).

For more news from Commander Task Force 73, visit www.navy.mil/local/clwp/.