MARITIME RESERVES
Employers briefed on RNR duties
RESERVISTS from HMS King Alfred in Portsmouth took their bosses on a tour of HMS Dauntless to raise awareness and understanding of the important work that Reservists carry out when at sea in a support capacity. The visit took place during a break in the Type 45 destroyer’s busy programme. The group visited the bridge, control room, hangar, operations room and wardroom, exploring the ship’s sea boat and gathering a good understanding of how the Navy operates these new warships. The evening visit to Portsmouth Naval Base and Reserves HQ for the South East included a briefing, reception and presentation hosted by HMS King Alfred and senior representatives from the South East’s Reserve Forces and Cadet’s Association (SERFCA). This offered local employers a chance to meet RNR personnel from different branches and to discuss the Future Reserves 2020 vision and the Maritime Reserves’ regional recruiting and awareness outreach campaign. John Atkins, sales director of Aish Technologies Ltd in Poole, said: “I know my own company is proud to be involved in supporting the Royal Navy’s operational capability, not only by providing equipment but also by supporting the volunteers of the Royal Naval Reserve.” John employs Lt Cdr Simon Lewis, who regularly commits his spare time outside his normal working day to support training at King Alfred and is also the unit’s Employers’ Liaison Officer, co-ordinating with SaBRE, the Government’s marketing campaign supporting Reserves and their employers. Supporters of the SaBRE campaign include the major political parties, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the Institute of Directors (IOD), the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), the Engineering Employers’ Federation (EEF) and the Trades Union Congress. At the reception in HMS King Alfred following the evening tour, Sarah Treseder, Chief Executive of the Royal Yachting Association in Southampton was presented with a SaBRE Employer’s award certificate by Col Charles Ackroyd, Chairman of Hants and the Isle of Wight SERFCA and the Deputy Executive of SERFCA, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Booth. Sarah expressed her delight at receiving the award and declared her interest in encouraging more employees to consider opportunities within the Reserve Forces. 1,550 firms across the South East have had their commitment to supporting the Reserve Forces recognised, in formally meeting SaBRE’s criteria for providing significant assistance to their employees, allowing their staff to contribute to national defence interests with part time military service commitments to the Reserve Forces. Other Employers represented at this event were AWE Ltd, Datanet Communications, DSTL, (Portsdown West) representatives from the Home Office in Central London, Ricardo UK PLC, The Royal Yachting Association, Virgin Experience Days and South Central Ambulance Service. In his address to guests, Jeff Pattison, Chairman Employer Support representing SERFCA, expressed his sincere thanks and pointed out the benefits to business and employers in the additional personal development and training that military service can provide, with Reserves bringing back to the business community qualities of leadership, initiative and management much sought after by companies. www.navynews.co.uk
Crucial roles in exercises
l The UKMCC – complete with Reservist augmentees – line up with commander Cdre Simon Ancona (just left of centre) in Bahrain
Specialists vital to Bahrain operations
THE UK Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) represents the Royal Navy in the Middle East, and is currently the only forward-deployed maritime battlestaff.
Established in its current form in November 2001 in Bahrain following the September 11 attacks in the United States, and in recognition of the increased importance of the region, its first version formed up when the then Rear Admiral James BurnellNugent deployed his headquarters ashore from the UK Task Force that was coincidently in the Gulf. Currently commanded by Cdre Simon Ancona, the 73-strong UKMCC is co-located with the US Fifth Fleet and US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT) within the Naval Support Activity Bahrain (NSA) base – better known to older members of the Service as HMS Juffair, which closed in 1971 after 36 years of Naval service. The UKMCC contributes to the maritime security of the Middle East region – 2.5 million square kilometres of sea – a region of vital strategic importance to the global economy. At any one time, the Royal Navy contributes four minehunters; two frigates or destroyers; RFA Landing Ship Dock and a Fleet tanker; UK Maritime Trade Organisation (MTO), based in Dubai, aviation, and more than 1,200 personnel to the region. And vital to this commitment is the presence of RN Reservists, who currently deploy as Individual Augmentees into the UKMCC HQ in Bahrain. The current crop of reservists embedded with their regular counterparts fall into four of the RNR specialist roles – Media Operations, Information Operations, Communication Information Systems (CIS) and Intelligence officers.
l Media Ops specialists Lt Cdr Carolyn Jones and Lt Dusty Miller There are currently two Media away from it that will help you in Ops officers who are dual-hatted, the future. “The job is constantly evolving providing media support to both and there is so much scope for you the UKMCC, including all the to put your own stamp on it.” ships deployed in the region, and Lt Roy ‘Dusty’ Miller from the Combined Maritime Forces HMS Eaglet is UKMCC SO3 (CMF), a 27-nation coalition Media/Assistant Public Affairs which contributes to the fight Officer CMF and completes the against piracy, narcotics and media team. arms-smuggling in addition to He has the hands-on role of supporting maritime security escorting journalists, creating and within the Joint Operating Area editing the articles sent in by the (JOA). ships in the region and delivering Lt Cdr Carolyn Jones, from briefs to the commands. Fleet Media, currently leads the In addition Dusty has had to UKMCC Media/Deputy Public turn his hand to photography in Affairs Officer CMF team. Located in the US Naval order to satisfy the huge appetite for images which crop up on a Central Command building, she daily basis. works closely with her American When asked what have been the Public Affairs counterparts and has become the spokesman for key lessons he has learned and can CTF 151 on Somali-based piracy, take away from this deployment Dusty said: “Teamwork – pure the role played by international and simple teamwork. forces to combat it and the use of “The working relationships and best management practices by the maritime industry for protection interaction between the various roles and people within the against pirates’ techniques. UKMCC are completely different The team present media briefs from those found in civilian twice a day and Carolyn has to ensure the Command staffs are careers.” The UKMCC provides and fully aware of any global events supports one Info Ops officer who with a media impact which may is embedded within CMF – Lt influence the JOA. When asked how she finds the Cdr Kerry Anderson, from HMS Hibernia. role Carolyn, who is never short of Kerry’s day is taken up creating a word or two, said: “I have found this role to be both demanding and plans and preparing information to give military commanders a rewarding – it is a great job for a crucial edge in the operations area. professional Media Ops Reservist. Working within a littoral “There is a lot you can take environment covering illegal activity at sea and land (which fits the piracy model perfectly), he is involved in everything from operational security to psychological operations. When asked what he considered to be the most rewarding part of his job, Kerry replied: “I get tasked by command to achieve an aim and then I am trusted to see the project through from its creation to completion.” He continued: “I am lucky to be part of a 27-nation partnership, and this brings me into contact with some great people.” As a forward-deployed battlestaff, communications and the CIS specialisation forms a pivotal role within the HQ function. LS Bill ‘Pops’ Jackson, from HMS Flying Fox, and AB Siyid Mursal of HMS President support the extensive N6 (comms and l CIS specialists AB Siyid Mursal and LS Bill ‘Pops’ Jackson IT) team within the UKMCC as
watchkeepers. Trained to the same level as their RN counterparts, they handle radio, satellite and electronic communications between ships, submarines and shore bases. Although currently deployed ashore within the UKMCC, in 2011 Siyid completed an operational tour afloat in support of Operation Ocean Shield which is NATO’s counter-piracy effort off the coast of Somalia and the Indian Ocean. Of the main challenges faced by an N6 watchkeeper, Bill said: “The tempo can be quite intense, especially during busy periods. “The demands placed on the N6 team as a whole are high, but that said, it’s great to play my part.” In typical James Bond style the Intelligence team like to hide in the shadows and minimise their time in the spotlight. That said, the UKMCC benefits from having two lieutenants whose role requires them to conduct operational intelligence analysis, gathering and information assessment on ships, people and aircraft. It is a vitally important role undertaken by reservists within the UKMCC – Capt Jon White, UKMCC Chief of Staff, said: “These individuals are important in building the intelligence picture within the JOA, which helps the command team prepare for any potential threat or eventuality coming our way. With the impact of Future Reserves 2020 (FR2020) already under way and the reserves being required to develop and expand the support roles demanded by the regular Navy, the UKMCC is at the forefront of regular and reserve integration, working at a high tempo in an operational environment. Cdre Ancona said: “Reservists bring a range of expertise and experience which often adds another dimension that can be hugely beneficial in the operational environment. “UKMCC would find it impossible to function without their input, and it is this interoperability that is important as we look to the future with FR2020.”
THREE members of HMS President in London had crucial roles to play in two large international exercises in late 2012. Lt Cdrs Howie San and Pat Shinner (above) swapped their civilian careers – the former with a financial software firm in London and the latter with a global telecomms giant – and donned their naval uniforms for Exercise Joint Warrior off Scotland. At the same time Lt Tony Scott (below), global enterprise architect for engineering consulting firm Arup, deployed to the Med with the French Navy for Exercise Noble Mariner. As the Submarine Control Team reporting to the Joint Warrior Task Group Commander, Howie and Pat worked in the ops room of frigate HMS Kent, directing Norwegian submarine HNoMS Utvær as she engaged warships from a dozen nations. With 22 ships from a dozen nations taking part, the Ula-class diesel-electric submarine was much in demand, with Howie and Pat ensuring her movements did not conflict with that of other boats operating in the area – including a very special arrival. A day before starting Joint Warrior, Kent was assigned safety ship to oversee the first open water dive of the RN’s newest nuclear submarine, HMS Ambush. Howie said: “It was a privilege to see the latest addition to the Fleet and one of the most powerful submarines in the world.” 1,200 miles away, Lt Scott was one of a number of personnel from President and other RNR units who deployed for Noble Mariner, an annual exercise which has an important role in the certification of the NATO Response Force (NRF). Noble Mariner 12 would certify the capacity of France to lead the maritime component of the NRF, and units taking part included 26 warships from ten NATO nations as well as helicopters, maritime patrol aircraft and jet fighters from carrier FS Charles de Gaulle. Tony was based in French Durance-class replenishment tanker Var, which is equipped with HQ facilities. He worked as a battle watch captain in the mine warfare battlestaff, responsible for the conduct of minehunting ships and divers from a number of nations – the role he performed while mobilised to the Gulf in 2009. “Although French-led, our battlestaff in Var included representatives from ten NATO countries,” said Tony. “We all spoke English – mostly – and I was incredibly impressed with how well integrated we became in no time at all.” He added: “I was pleased to be able to make a difference during the exercise, training French personnel in modern NATO mine warfare practices. “It was a vindication of the training the RNR has given me. “But it wasn’t all one-way learning. “For example I spent one day of the exercise in FS Pegase, a French mine hunter, and found some of their capabilities to be very impressive indeed.”
l Information Operations officer Lt Cdr Kerry Anderson MARCH 2013 : 33