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21st Century Sailor and Marine Initiative Arrives in Djibouti

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS120317-01
3/17/2012

By Senior Chief Mass Communications Specialist Maria Escamilla, Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa Public Affairs

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti (NNS) -- The assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs and the chief of navy reserve arrived here March 16 for the first stop in an overseas tour highlighting the 21st Century Sailor and Marine initiative.

The Honorable Juan M. Garcia and Vice Adm. Dirk J. Debbink, visited Sailors and Marines to discuss the initiative.

Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa commander Rear Adm. Michael T. Franken greeted the honored guests in his office, who included Navy Reserve Force Master Chief Chris T. Wheeler, followed by a CJTF-HOA mission brief and lunch with command leadership.

During the visit, the Navy leaders briefed Navy and Marine Corps personnel deployed to Camp Lemonnier about the 21st Century Sailor and Marine initiative.

Announced earlier this month by the secretary of the Navy, the initiative consolidates a set of objectives and policies to maximize sailor and Marine personal readiness, to build resilience and hone the most combat-effective force in the history of the Department of the Navy.

To accomplish this, the program focuses on five key areas of readiness, safety, inclusion, continuum of service and physical fitness. During the Djibouti visit, the focus is on the physical fitness and nutrition portions of the initiative.

"Our sailors and Marines are deployed to every corner of the world. Whether they're serving on the deck of a ship or helping to stop the spread of extremism here on the ground in Africa, they have shouldered a strenuous load of missions for many years and have done it with absolute professionalism," Garcia said.

"This is why maintaining the health and fitness of every sailor and Marine is such an important part of the 21st Century initiative," Garcia added. "We need to help every member of the team be at the top of their game, physically and mentally."

Later in the day Garcia, Debbink and Wheeler met with Camp Lemonnier commanding officer Capt. Scott L. Hurst and other camp leaders. They were briefed on the camp mission and toured facilities, which included the Morale, Recreation and Welfare program's Thunder Dome athletic facility and the new galley currently under construction.

They were particularly interested in learning how today's sailors and Marines maintain their health and physical fitness in an expeditionary setting.

"Resiliency is at the heart of the 21st Century Sailor and Marine program and can best be described as our ability to excel when faced with the challenges of military duties," Debbink explained. "While all the areas of the program can help to build that resiliency, none can have as fast and as lasting an impact in our ability to deal with stress than physical fitness."