Essex (LHD 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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forces. Just as the complementary capabilities of Navy and Marine Corps forces add to our overall strength, combining the capabilities and resources of other services and those of our allies will yield decisive military power. MAINTAINING OUR NEW DIRECTION The new direction for the Naval Service remains focused on our ability to project power from the sea in the critical littoral regions of the world. We remain committed to structuring our naval expeditionary forces so that they are inherently shaped for joint operations, with the emphasis on operations forward from the sea, tailored for national needs. Recent Department of the Navy budget decisions, which resulted in a real increase in spending on littoral warfare and the means for power projection, are illustrative of the shift in priorities we have undertaken since the publication of . . . From the Sea. As we continue to improve our readiness to project power in the littorals, we need to proceed cautiously so as not to jeopardize our readiness for the full spectrum of missions and functions for which we are responsible. In the two years since . . . From the Sea was published, we have expanded on and capitalized upon its traditional expeditionary focus. Expeditionary implies a mind set, a culture, and a commitment to forces that are designed to be deployed forward and to respond swiftly. Our new direction provides the nation: Naval Expeditionary Forces Tailored for National N eeds Shaped for Joint Operations Operating Forward . . . From the Sea CONCLUSION From the Sea was the initial step in demonstrating how the Navy and Marine Corps respond to the challenges of a new security environment. Our strategy and policies continue to evolve as we learn from our recent experiences and prepare for the new challenges and opportunities of this highly dynamic world. Naval forces have five fundamental and enduring roles in support of the National Security Strategy; projection of power from the sea to land, sea control and maritime supremacy, strategic deterrence, strategic sealift, and forward naval presence. We will continue to can out these roles to protect vital U.S. global interests, citizens, allies and friends, wherever they may be at risk. The Cold War may be over, but the need for American leadership and commensurate military capability endures. Many of our most vital interests remain overseas where the Navy and Marine Corps are prepared for new challenges — forward deployed, ready for combat, and engaged to preserve the peace.

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A U.S. warship is sovereign U.S. territory, whether in a port of a friendly country or transiting international straits and the high seas. U.S. naval forces, operating from highly mobile sea bases ' in forward areas, are therefore free of the political encumbrances that may inhibit and others ise limit the scope of land-based operations in forward theaters. The latter consideration is a unique characteristic and advantage of forward-deployed naval forces. In many critical situations. U.S. naval forces alone provide theater commanders with a variety of flexible options - including precise measures to control escalation — to respond quickly and appropriately to fast-breaking developments at the operational and tactical levels. Whether surging from adjacent theaters or from continental U.S. deployment bases, naval forces are uniquely positioned, configured, and trained to provide a variety of responses in the event of an unexpected international crisis. Their operational flexibility and responsiveness are a matter of record. The most recent examples of crisis-response operations are summarized here. REGIONAL CONFLICT Naval forces make a critical contribution in a major regional contingency during the transition from crisis to conflict. Forward naval forces deployed for presence and reinforced in response to an emerging crisis can serve as the transition force as land-based forces are brought forward into theater. Using a building-block approach. U.S. naval forces can be tailored with specific capabilities. The resulting naval expeditionary force-conceptually built around fleet operational forces and a forward-deployed Marine Expeditionary Force-can provide a highly flexible force for a wide range of missions, including long-range operations and early forcible entry to facilitate or enable the arrival of follow-on forces. Focusing on the littoral area. Navy and Marine Corps forces can seize and defend advanced bases-ports and airfields — to enable the flow of land-based air and ground forces, while providing the necessary command and control for joint and allied forces. The power-projection capabilities of specifically tailored naval expeditionary forces can contribute to blunting an initial attack and, ultimately, assuring victory. The keys to our enabling mission are effective means in place to dominate and exploit littoral battlespace during the earliest phases of hostilities. Moreover, the unique capabilities inherent in naval tactical aviation operating from our sea bases or expeditionary airfields, as well as the capability to contribute to sustained land combat operations, provide theater commanders with flexibility in the conduct of littoral operations. Throughout the 20th century. Marine Air- Ground Task Forces, placed ashore initially as enabling forces, have fought and contributed decisively in every major ground conflict. Similarly, naval tactical aviation has made pivotal contributions when the nation ' s air power was needed in combat. In the event of a future regional conflict. U.S. naval forces will assume critical roles in the protection of vital sealift along the strategic lines of approach to the theater of conflict, including the air-and sea-ports of debarkation. Our success in a major regional contingency will depend upon the delivery of heavy equipment and the resupply of major ground and air elements engaged forward. Sealift is the key to forces sustainment for joint operations, and we are committed to a strong national capability. JOINT AND COMBINED OPERATIONS No single military service embodies all of the capabilities needed to respond to every situation and threat. Our national strategy calls for the individual services to operate jointly to ensure both that we can operate successfully in all warfare areas and that we can apply our military power across the spectrum of foreseeable situations — in peace, crisis, regional conflict, and the subsequent restoration of peace. The enhanced combat power produced by the integration of all supporting arms, which we seek to attain through joint operations, is inherent in naval expeditionary forces. For example, the Aircraft Carrier Battle Group integrates and focuses diverse technologies and combat capabilities to assure the dominance of the air. surface, and sub-surface battle space necessary for the pro.secution of subsequent campaigns. Marine Expeditionary Forces, employing marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) combined-arms doctrine, are the most versatile expeditionary forces in existence. Established by law to be forces of combined arms, together with supporting air components,

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THE ONE SHOP CAPT R. MYRICK GN SGT H. LAKE SGT C JONES CPL W SCOGGIN SGT G. WADE CPL D. GOODHN LCPl. S TWEEDELL LCPL M. MADISON SGT K ROZYCZKO CPL R. ROTTHOFF I AINTTAKIN ' IT!