Cushing (DD 985) - Naval Cruise Book

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ORIGINS of the UN IT AS Deployment Y JNITAS is an annual training deployment in which t maritime nations of South America operate with the United States Navy either bilaterally or in multi-national exercises. The deployment transits the Caribbean Sea and areas of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and reinforces the strategic importance of these vital sea lanes. The idea for a training deployment to South America was first conceived in 1959 and was developed under the direction of the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Arleigh A. Burke. Originally, UNITAS was oriented toward anti-surface warfare. Successive years have added exercises in anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, electronic warfare, communications, seamanship, and Freeplays which employ all facets of naval warfare. Most recently, amphibious operations, naval gunfire support, helicopter crossdecking, mine warfare, and Coast Guard operations have also been incorporated into the deployment. The operational exercises conducted under the aegis of UNITAS are unique in that no formal governmental agreements govern their execution. For the entire history of UNITAS, from planning to the actual operations, UNITAS has been a joint effort. Because it is formulated and implemented with an emphasis on cooperative efforts, UNITAS has historically been of mutual benefit to the respective participating Navies. Senior South American naval officers who have been involved in UNITAS during its lengthy history consistently give strong support to continuing these operations. While exercises at-sea are the primary focus of the deployment, inport activities support UNITAS objectives as well. These activities center on training symposiums as well as humanitarian and community relations (COMRELj projects undertaken by U.S. sailors working in concert with South American Naval personnel. A positive atmosphere results form these close Navy- to-Navy relationships. A primary objective of this year ' s UNITAS is to continue building upon these solid traditions and hemispheric naval cooperation.

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feMi Commander y South Atlantic Force United States Atlantic Fleet Commander of the United States Navy ' s South Atlantic Force (USCOMSOLANTj serves as the main line, between the U.S. Navy and the Navies of South America. USCOMSOLANT was established on I June 1958. The headquarters were first in Trinidad, West Indies; then in San Juan, Puerto Rico; and since December 1973 have been located at U.S. Naval Station, Roosevelt Roads. USCOMSOLANT has participated in annual UNIT AS deployments since 1959 and in addition has deployed to Africa for Operation Amity , and the West African Training Cruise. As a naval sub-area commander, USCOMSOLANT is responsible to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet for the Atlantic Command Area in the South Atlantic between the Tropic of Cancer and the Antarctic Circle. He exercises military command and operational control of all assigned ships and units, and represents CINCLANTFLT with respect to naval matters in the countries in South America and Africa which fall within the Atlantic Command Area. USCOMSOLANT ' s mission with respect to UNITAS deployments is to conduct operations in South American water with the combined forces of the U.S. Navy and participating South American Navies. The navies take part in exercises in the areas of anti-submarine warfare, naval control of shipping, surface and air gunnery, and other naval operations, promoting the continued capability of those forces to ensure the security of vital sea lanes of communications in the Western Hemisphere. The concept of UNITAS was started in 1 959 when Rear Admiral Edward C. Stephan, the first USCOMSOLANT, embarked on combined exercises which were held on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of South America. Plans for the concept and continuation of UNITAS were made at the Second Inter- American Naval Conference, held in June 1960. Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, then the Chief of Naval Operations, headed the U.S. delegation and nine Latin American countries were represented by their senior naval leaders. UNITAS exercises have been held every year since then. UNITAS 33-92 is the first UNITAS deployment to have a PACFLT ship participate.

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Rear Admiral Theodore C, Lockhart Commander, South Atlantic Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet A Massachusetts native, Rear Admiral Lockhart was born jCM. ' m Fall River and brought up in Haverhill. He is a 1961 graduate of Colby College in Maine, holds a masters degree in international relations from Salve Regina College at Newport, Rhode Island and is a graduate of the Naval War College. He was commissioned through officer candidate school training in February 1962. J ear Admiral Lockhart ' s previous sea duty assignments -tV include division officer and department head tours aboard the destroyer USS John W. Weeks (DD 701), USS John Paul Jones (DD 932) and USS Corry (DD 817). He has served as Executive Officer of the Guided Missile Cruiser USS Sterett (CG 31) and as assistant plans officer for U.S. 6th Fleet. Admiral Lockhart has commanded the USS Observer (MSO 461), the USS Paul F. Foster (DD 964), and USS Valley Forge (CG 50). His shore duty assignments have included tours as an anti-submarine warfare instructor and observer with Fleet Training Group at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Company officer at the U.S. Naval Academy; Combat Systems Engineer for the Navy ' s Aegis shipbuilding program and Director of its Fleet Introduction Division. Admiral Lockhart was Commanding Officer of the Navy ' s Surface Warfare Officer ' s School at Newport when he was selected for flag rank in December 1988. Prior to reporting as South Atlantic Force Commander, he directed the Surface Combat Systems Division for the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for surface warfare. His decorations include: Three Legion of Merit awards, Two Meritorious Service Medals and the Navy Commendation Medal. He is married to the former Carolyn Anne Webster of Rockville Centre, New York. They have two children, Jeffrey and Anne. How do you spell relief? R-0-L-A-I-D-S