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Rota Hailed as Strategic Hub for Warfighters

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS081121-05
Release Date: 11/21/2008 12:59:00 PM

By Lt. Mike Morley, Naval Station Rota Public Affairs Officer

ROTA, Spain (NNS) -- Naval Station Rota was recognized as a strategic hub for warfighters and a base committed to taking care of Sailors and their families during a flag-level visit Nov. 6-7.

Vice Adm. Robert Conway, commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) met with Navy and Air Force officials to better understand how the base supports the joint warfighter. While at Rota, Conway received several briefings on large construction projects and a base tour, seeing first-hand the en-route refueling system and a major port improvement project, along with quality-of-life improvements such as the new Rota High School and family housing improvement project.

Conway said the investments in Rota are a testament to the base's strategic value to the joint warfighter.

"Rota's strategic location is well-known, as the Navy has had a footprint here for many years," he said. "While the mission has evolved over time, what has remained the same is the outstanding logistical support this base provides to the warfighters downrange. It's impressive what this base can do. And as [the strategic focus in Africa] starts to mature, you can expect to see Rota's mission support come to the forefront in terms of logistics for that effort."

Conway noted that a big part of CNIC's mission recently has been to better understand the needs of military families and provide appropriate support to them. Understanding their needs and desires and providing an appropriate level of services is a constantly changing mission.

"Family needs have changed greatly in the last 10 years, and if we're not growing [to meet their needs], we're dead," Conway said. Over the last 10 years or so, we've found that in order to retain Sailors, we also have to support the families. A happy family translates into a happy Sailor, who is more likely to reenlist," Conway said.

"We are trying to better understand the demand signals from Sailors and families and provide the programs that they want and will utilize to ensure we're putting money into what they want."

Last week's visit was one of Conway's several to Europe in recent years, but his first visit to Rota since assuming duties as CNIC in March 2006. He is responsible for the Navy's worldwide shore infrastructure and manning enterprise: a $9 billion, 50,000+ person organization comprised of 11 Navy regions and more than 50 individual bases.

For more news from Naval Station Rota, Spain, visit www.navy.mil/local/rota/.