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Navy Amphibious Command Deploys to Kuwait

Story Number: NNS030127-17

Release Date: 1/27/2003 3:09:00 PM

By Senior Chief Journalist Scott D. Williams, Amphibious Group 3 Public Affairs

KUWAIT (NNS) -- A joint-service American military force of more than 1,000 personnel recently arrived in Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The command, known as the Commander, Maritime Prepositioning Force (CMPF), is comprised of multiple units from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard and is led by the Navy's Amphibious Group 3.

The San Diego-based amphibious warfare command oversees maritime logistics offloads and port operations in support of a Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force. The CMPF is deployed to support the global war on terrorism and to prepare for possible future contingencies. Its exact location in Kuwait is undisclosed for reasons of security.

The CMPF commander, Rear Adm. W. Clyde Marsh, said the President of the United States has made no decision about any future operations, but the deployment is an important step to increase regional military capabilities and enhance flexibility.

"The mission of this command is to bring long-term sustainment of combat power to the theater," said Marsh. "This crucial operation serves the foreign policy interests of the United States while giving the central command more options for future operations."

The CMPF is responsible for offloading military supplies, aviation assets, combat vehicles, equipment and hardware from maritime prepositioning ships and other U.S. and allied logistics ships.

"This is a joint and combined operation at its finest, as we work in close collaboration with our sister services and allies," said Marsh.

The Maritime Prepositioning Force is comprised of units from Amphibious Group 3, Naval Beach Group 1, Amphibious Construction Battalion 1, Beachmaster Unit 1, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1, Sailors and Coast Guardsmen from Naval Coastal Warfare Group 1 homeported in San Diego, and Amphibious Construction Battalion 2 from Little Creek, Va.

Supporting units include the Navy Cargo Handling and Port Group from Williamsburg, Va., and Marines from the Second Force Service Support Group from Camp Lejeune, NC.