MSCEURAF MTS team doubles efforts in 2023

ByChristinaJohnson Military Sealift Command, Europe and Africa

NORDENHAM,Germany

U.S.Navy’sMilitarySealiftCommand (MSC) chartered Motor Vessel (MV) Sagamore, a container ship built in 2008, arrived at the Port of Nordenham, Germany, loaded with cargo as part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s continual supportofreal-worldeventsinEurope,June23

The coordination of the arrival, offload, and departure of this vesselwasaccomplishedbytheMilitarySealiftCommandEurope and Africa (MSCEURAF) Marine Transportation Specialist (MTS) team, and it marks the 38th mission so far in 2023 This numberexceedstheentireyearof2022withatotalof35missions completed “I am honestly impressed with the work that has been accomplishedbytheMSCEURAFteaminthefirstsixmonthsofthisyear,” said U.S. Merchant Marine Capt. Thomas Giudice, MSCEURAF Marine Transportation Specialist supervisor “Even with a full complement of MTS staff, it has been a real challenge to support thesevesselsinthenumerousportsthroughoutEuropeandAfrica area of responsibility.”

To assist with this increase in missions, the U.S. Navy Reserve provided personnel under the Expeditionary Port Unit (EPU) program.TheReservistmissionforMSCistoprovidecargoafloat rigteams(CART),expeditionaryportunits(EPUs),TacticalAdvisor (TACAD) units, headquarters (HQ) support units, logistics support units, and strategic sealift units (SSUs) for operations whichrequireadditionalmanpowernotnormallyrequiredduring sustained peacetime operations The Navy Reserve is MSC’s manpower solution for surge mission sets

“Thanks to the unparalleled support provided by the Navy Reservists who make up the EPU MSCEURAF has made every mission,” added Guidice

MSCoperatesapproximately125navalauxiliarycivilian-crewed ships, replenishes U.S. Navy ships, strategically prepositions combat cargo at sea, and moves military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners around the world.

U.S.Navy’s MilitarySealift Command (MSC) chartered MotorVessel (MV) Sagamore,a containership built in 2008 arrived at the Port ofNordenham,Germany, June 23.The ship is loadedwith cargo as part ofthe U.S. Department ofDefense’s continual support ofreal-world events in Europe.The pier’s craneworks continually moving the CONEXboxes from the ship to the rail cars stationed on the pier (PHOTOBYCHRISTINAJOHNSON, MILITARYSEALIFTCOMMAND,EUROPEANDAFRICA)

Jacksonville native from Page 1 long,theworkcanbehard,andyou’regoing tolearnsomelifelessons.Thesesimilarities connect the Sailors of today to the Sailors of days gone by in an almost universal way. Raffertyiscomingtotheendofhercontract next year and shared a lesson she’s learned duringhertimeintheNavythatshewilltake withher.

“IthinkthenumberonethingI’velearned in the Navy is just expect the unexpected, said Rafferty “You have to be ready to go at amoment’snotice Sowiththatinmind,I’ve learnedtoappreciateallthelittlethingsIget. Whetherthatbemyleavegettingapproved, a day off that wasn’t scheduled, extra time with friends, visits from family, and (every- iousship-to-shorelandingandforceretraction. thing) in between Everything changes so alwaysbeprepared.”

John Finn is forward-deployed to Commander, Task Force 71 U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and openIndo-Pacificregion.CTF71isresponsibleforthereadiness,tacticalandadministrativeresponsibilitiesforforward-deployed ArleighBurke-classguided-missiledestroy-

Combat Squadron 22 (HSC 22), Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 70 Detachment ers as well as any surface unit conducting independentoperationsintheregion.Navy’s 7th Fleet is the largest forward-deployed fleet and routinely operates and interacts with 35 maritime nations while conductingmissionstopreserveandprotectcritical regionalpartnerships hybridfleethereinUNITAS.”

InadditiontotheUnitedStates,UNITAS

LXIV will bring together 19 nations from all over the world to train forces in joint maritime operations that enhance tactical proficiency and increase interoperability. Participating nations include Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Paraguay,Spain,SouthKorea,UnitedKingdom,UnitedStates,andUruguay.

Following the UNITAS LXIV Opening CeremonyonJuly12 theinportphaseofthe exercise will feature subject matter expert exchanges,professionalsymposia,shiprider exchanges,andoperationsmeetings.During this time, Marines and Sailors will conduct expeditionarytrainingeventsinCovenasto include riverine operations and diving and salvageoperations.

During the UNITAS LXIV Underway Phase forces will participate in events testingallwarfareoperations toincludelive-fire exercisessuchasaSINKEXandanamphib-

“Marines and Sailors from across the United States will travel to Colombia to not only train alongside our partner nations’ militaries, but to hone the skills required to operate as part of a larger maritime force focused on sea control and sea denial,” said Lt Gen. David G. Bellon, commander U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South, and U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Reserve. “We will be exercising command and control from a forward position as Marines set up and employExpeditionaryAdvancedBaseOperations to enhance naval capabilities as part ofUNITAS.”

U.S. forces participating in UNITAS

LXIV include USS New York (LPD 21), USS Cole (DDG 67), USS Little Rock (LCS 9), USS Pasadena (SSN 752), and USNS Burlington (T-EPF 10). Other U.S. participants include Patrol Squadron Five (VP 5), Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU)

2, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EOD) 612, Mine Countermeasures Group 3, (MCMGRU 3), Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures EOD Company 61 (EODMU 61), East-coast based Naval Special Warfare units, Helicopter Sea

2 (HSM 70 Det 2), Joint Communications Support Element (JCSE), Fleet Surgical Team (FST) Eight, and the Meteorological Environmental Team (MET). U.S. Marine forces include 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment (3⁄23), 4th Amphibious Assault Battalion (4th AABn), 8th Combat LogisticBattalion(CLB8),4thCombatEngineer Battalion(4thCEB),MarineMediumTiltrotorSquadron774(VMM774),MarineLight Helicopter Attack Squadron 775 (HMLA 775), Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron234(VMGR-234),MarineAircraft Control Group 48 (MACG-48), and MarineFighterAttackSquadron112(VMFA112).Finally,Commander,DestroyerSquadron 40, (COMDESRON 40), Commander, Amphibious Squadron Four (COMPHIBRON FOUR), U.S Marine Corps Forces South (MARFORSOUTH), Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH), USNAVSOUTH/FOURTHFLT, and U.S. SouthernCommand(USSOUTHCOM)are participatinginUNITASLXIV UNITAS whichisLatinforunity united or oneness was conceived in 1959 during a previous era of strategic competition when representatives at the first Inter-American Naval Conference in Panama agreed to conduct an annual maritime exercise with oneanother PriortoUNITASIin1960,U.S.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Arleigh Burke reviewed preparations for the multinationalexercise Hecommendedplanners for their progress especially in building compatiblecommunicationsystemsamong navies, and predicted that UNITAS would build strong relationships among Sailors of theWesternHemisphere

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/ U.S. 4th Fleet supports U.S. Southern Command’s joint and combined military operationsbyemployingmaritimeforcesin cooperativemaritimesecurityoperationsto maintain access enhance interoperability and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean,CentralandSouthAmericanregion.

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South is the Marine Corps component to U.S. Southern Command,isresponsibleforplanningexercises, operations and overall Marine Corps supportfortheSOUTHCOMassignedarea ofresponsibility