US-Europe World Affairs

 

The United States Military Sealift Command  (MSC)  is a Military Naval Agency to support transportation for the U.S Navy at seas and oceans.   Its history goes back to the second world war– even though at that time the MSC was not established as the independent agency.  A few years later in 1949 the formation of  the Military Sea Transportation Service, as a distinguished agency,  was materialized to provide ocean transportation support for the U.S Department of Defense.     

 

 

 

 

 

In the years followed the 1949,  the role of Military Sealift Command (MSC), developed and commenced to project itself more significantly.  Its operations continue to insert the vital support,  not only to the United States Navy but also for NATO Allies–encompassing from the Cold War era, the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan missions– and to the most ongoing operations of the present time, inter alia, the  NATO and EU in the counter-piracy.

In the recent years with much synchronized joint efforts of the U.S and European Naval Forces in the various global missions, the MSC also has notably expanded its supporting tasks to the European Naval Forces. In this effort one of its main tasks is for Replenishment At Sea (RAS).  The recent MSC statistic report describes that at the present time there are approximately 110 ships on a daily basis operating on support mission across the globe.

On August 30, the EU NAVFOR flagship HNLMS Tromp,  after intense days and weeks of maritime security operation in the Indian Ocean and gulf of Aden, had to be refueled for the continuation of its crucial mission at seas.                                                                                                                                                                               For that the U.S  fleet replenishment oiler  USNS John Ericsson  was tasked for administering the replenishment.   In the ensuing early hours of the day, the grand ship of  U.S Navy ……. had to reach the mathematically determined point to the Dutch frigate– for executing  ‘the Alongside Connected Replenishment’– on a rapid and precise mode.                                                                                                                

Shortly after–  the colossal ship drifted away….. and sailed  ……into distance for its next mission.          

Yet this was not the first,  nor will be the last,  that the Military Sealift Command of the U.S Navy stood as the vital lifeline for the EU Naval missions be it in any parts of the World, when urgency and support has been called.   Its role even though as the supporting task remained to be highly essential– for without MSC the continuation of any operations will not be possible, especially the maritime security  and the counter-piracy in the oceans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frigate HNLMS Tromp (right) approaches USNS John Ericsson to be refueled. August 30, 2016 © EU NAVFOR   

 

1. Additional:  The United States Navy in Operation Atalanta-1
2. The USNAVAF and  EU  NAVFOR for the first contact between Operation ATALANTA  and the US Command responsible for the US Naval Forces in the Southern Indian Ocean.

• News from EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta        News from USN Military Sealift
• News from U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria 
• News from US Naval Forces Europe-Africa
• News from US Air Force Europe-Africa      News from Strong Europe US Army Europe    

Image-1:  The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) alongside the fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Ericsson (T-AO 194) in Arabian Guld. July 26, 2016  © U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Joshua Murray.                                                         Sources: US Navy/EU NAVFOR. By Editor in Chief, Catherine S. Schmidt (Copyrighted material)  

 

 

 

While still the state and non -state sponsored adversarial threats are posing challenges to the security and stability of European landscape –the United States has audibly in many ways, reaffirmed its commitment to Europe.

Albeit with the less number of its troops, yet with the deployable rotational forces, the U.S has promised for a long stay, to defend and fortifies its European partners.

Coextending with that– the United States military has conceptualized a new strategic planning which empowers the U.S with the 30,000 troops, and the stepped up rotational forces, to maintain the same efficacy of 300,000 boots on the grounds.

With this new military concept of the Department of Defense formulated in the recent years as ‘The European Reassurance Initiative (ERI)’ signed by President Obama  in December 2014, the U.S conveys explicitly and forthright that its Armed-Forces will always be part of European allies and provide every assurance for European Security and Defense.                                    

With that the U.S Armed Forces in Europe has redefined its vision, role– reshaping its partnerships with the European counterparts into a new level of political and military proximity and closeness.

Under the same scheme, the U.S European Command has intensified, in the recent years, its engagement in preparing and upgrading the European Armed Forces from south and the Black sea to the northern European hemisphere the Baltic sea– to the highest military architectural format—effectively interoperable with the U.S military in any operational environments.

The new strategic planning in Europe encompasses a wide range of trainings, joint maneuvers and exercises which are formulated to increase:

• The interoperability of U.S-European Armed-Forces;
• Modernization of European military weaponry equipment, technology and technique;
• Advancement and the upgrade of European military capabilities from air to the cyber- space.

The planning goes further with a special focus to bolster:

• European capability for deterrence;
• Their strength and their combat power, simultaneously.

This new concept and its wide-scope of applicable approach– has also inaugurated a new chapter towards the standardization of U.S-European Armed-Forces, enabling them to prepare and maintain the high readiness for countering the global crisis, in a curtailed frame of time yet with the most effective measures in place.

“We will be always going to be part of Coalition if not Alliance. All our best and most reliable Partners come from Europe whether NATO or Partnership for Peace Countries.  So the Chance  for practice with them is a great opportunity to continue to build the trust with them” Excerpts from the statement Commanding General of U.S Army Europe, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges.  In the interview during the NATO Exercise, Norway March 2016.

By Catherine Stella Schmidt   (Copyrighted material)

• U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria            U.S Army Europe and Africa         
•  U.S Naval Forces Europe-Africa                U.S Army             Secretary of Army
• U.S Air Force Europe-Africa                                 The 7th Army Training 
• Army’s 7th Mission Support Command  
  
• U.S Mission NATO            U.S European Command      Follow us @USEUWAffairs

 

Exercise  Strong Guard 2016  was a unique US-European Military Training Exercise, executed during a three day time frame, to boost the close Partnership and the Interoperability of U.S National Guard, Military Police Battalion, Marines, with the Land-Forces and National Guards of Lithuania and Latvia. The Training was finalized successfully with a Military ceremony on August 14, 2016.

Reaffirmed by the U.S Army, “Strong Guard 2016 demonstrated the continued U.S. commitment to the security of the NATO Allies in the light of the increased tension in Eastern Europe.” August 2016 © U.S Army Europe

 

 

 

 

Military Police Battalion, Military Police Brigade, Michigan National Guard during the official closing ceremony of ‘Strong Guard 2016’  in Latvia.  August 14, 2016.© US Army/Staff Sgt. Kimberly Bratic

There were Soldiers, in variety of uniforms…… presenting their Brigades, Battalions, and Units– stood in salute in the closing ceremony.  In a normal day or an ordinary condition, after three days and nights of  heavy  Training, which had challenged the toughness of Minds and the strength of Physique beyond all limits–  one would had resigned before the finishing line and to exhaustion. But far from that– these were the Soldiers that have surpassed every extremes.  Standing firm, …..their eyes were radiating with the the heights of pride……, and strength was yet visibly depicted in every steps of their movements….. as they marched towards the Garrison at their Commander’s behest. 

News from Strong Europe US Army Europe                
News from US Naval Forces Europe-Africa
News from US Air Force Europe-Africa
News from U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria

Source: US Army Europe/Staff Sgt. Kimberly Bratic.  By Catherine S. Schmidt, Editor in Chief (Copyrighted material)