U.S. Fleet Forces Command Joint and Sustainment Training
MT2 2009 Volume: 14 Issue: 5 (September/October)
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Group also participated as part of its sustainment phase and provided the Truman strike group the opportunity to train as an expeditionary strike force. Commander, Carrier Strike Group 12, participated in the role as the Coalition Force Maritime Component Commander (CFMCC), with the staff working from Tactical Training Group Atlantic in Virginia Beach.
The event connected Second Fleet ships pier-side in Norfolk, Va., and Mayport, Fla., with U.S. Air Force units in Oklahoma and Oregon and coalition partners in Germany. Military representatives from Turkey and Italy observed the exercise from the supporting shore commands and pier-side ships, including USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and USS Ross (DDG 71), in anticipation of the nations’ participation in future FST events.
In addition to Truman, three other commands received certifications. These were Commander Task Group 20.20 as a theater anti-submarine warfare commander, USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) in ballistic missile defense, and Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron (MSRON) 2, a component of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC).
“NECC has participated in FST events but not as a certification event,” said Odie Ogden, assistant chief of staff and director of synthetic training at commander, Strike Force Training, Atlantic.
MSRON 2 trained from tents set up in a field at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, formerly Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek.
“It was an unknown for us because it’s the first time we’ve done it, but it’s gone well,” said Commander Dan Evans, executive officer of MSRON 2.
The squadron was tasked with protecting a virtual oil platform, defending a marine terminal and escorting maritime traffic with small boats.
The Joint services and coalition training audience was connected in a common simulated battle environment via the Navy Continuous Training Environment and the U.S. Joint Forces Command’s Joint National Training Capability.
FST is part of the mix of live and synthetic training the Navy uses to train and certify forces for deployment. It does not replace the Navy’s need to train live, but helps focus the live training opportunities by providing realistic and tactically meaningful training ashore.
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