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New SOUTHCOM Commander Makes First Visit to 4th Fleet

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090720-08
Release Date: 7/20/2009 4:30:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Holly Boynton, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, U.S. Fourth Fleet Public Affairs

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- The new commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) made his first visit to U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO) and U.S. 4th Fleet headquarters July 14.

"This is a terrific opportunity to showcase our operations and successes at NAVSO and Fourth Fleet for our new boss, [General Douglas Fraser]," said Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet, Rear Adm. Vic Guillory.

"As SOUTHCOM naval component, NAVSO's mission and deployments align with SOUTHCOM's security, stability and partnering goals. I'm looking forward to expanding our partnering, humanitarian and counter illicit trafficking operations in this dynamic and important region under General Fraser's direction and guidance."

During his visit, Fraser met with NAVSO's foreign liaison officers from Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. NAVSO has liaison officers from several nations on staff who act as subject-matter experts for their respective navies and provide feedback and guidance critical to the success of NAVSO's many exercises and operations with partner nations.

"Your role as liaisons is very important for your navies as well as our Navy," said Fraser. "We can't do this as individuals; we have to cooperate together to address the problems that affect all of us here in the Western Hemisphere. Thank you on behalf of Southern Command for what you're doing, and I look forward to the opportunity to visit each of your countries."

Fraser also visited Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, received a briefing on the unmanned aerial aircraft MQ-8B Fire Scout, toured USS McInerney (FFG 8) and had a roundtable discussion with senior NAVSO/4th Fleet staff members.

Fourth Fleet celebrated its first year anniversary July 12. It was re-established in 2008 in recognition of the importance of the SOUTHCOM area of focus which includes the Caribbean, Central and South America and surrounding waters.

Fourth Fleet, the numbered fleet assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO), exercising operational control of assigned forces, conducts the full spectrum of maritime security operations (MSO) in support of U.S. objectives and security cooperation activities that promote coalition building and deter aggression.

As the Navy component command of SOUTHCOM, NAVSO's mission is to direct U.S. Naval forces operating in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions and interact with partner nation navies within the maritime environment. Various operations include counter-illicit trafficking, theater security cooperation, military-to-military interaction and bilateral and multinational training.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/cusns/.