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Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Concludes in Miami

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS131120-12
Release Date: 11/20/2013 3:39:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sean Allen, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet Public Affairs

MIAMI (NNS) -- The U.S. Naval War College held a Combined Force Maritime Component Commander (CFMCC) Flag Officer course, hosted by U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/ U.S. 4th Fleet at U.S. Southern Command headquarters in Miami that concluded Nov. 20.

The course served as an opportunity for partner navies in the Southern Hemisphere to discuss challenges that each face, create concepts and ideas to address these challenges and build trust and confidence among partner nations.

Eleven nations participated, including senior officers from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, Canada, and the United States.

Also attending the CFMCC was Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, and Adm. Bill Gortney, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command.

Personnel from U.S. 4th Fleet attending the course included Rear Adm. Sinclair Harris, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/ U.S. 4th Fleet, Rear Adm. Jon Matheson, deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Commander/ U.S. 4th Fleet, and Lance Hegerle, political advisor to the 4th Fleet staff. Harris talked about the many benefits of the course.

'There are many benefits to the CFMCC course, but the personal relationships and the face-to-face interactions are the greatest benefit gained and the most important. We are neighbors in this hemisphere and will call upon each other in time of need. This opportunity to gather and discuss our common interests and challenges is very useful,' said Harris.

Navy Rear Adm. Luis Espejo of the Colombian Navy spoke about the importance of working together with partner nations to achieve common goals.

'I think that this course is a magnificent opportunity to understand the different points of view of the nations attending and to really be able to interact and gain mutual experience so we can work together as a multinational team in the future. True experience is a invaluable goal of our countries,' said Espejo.

In addition to international naval attendees, U.S. attendees come from each of the military services. The CFMCC Flag Course addresses the practical challenges confronting the maritime operational commander. Actual regional concerns, and the CFMCC capabilities to address those concerns, are the basis for course discussions and study. Further, the course considers existing CFMCC concepts and doctrine, operational-level capabilities, command and control processes and applications, and the considerations and expectations of the combined force commander as well as supporting functional component commanders.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet employ maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations in order to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships that foster regional security in the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility.