Many missions, one command

[unhappycamper]

In a Nov. 20 interview, Adm. Jonathan Greenert, the new commander of Fleet Forces Command emphasized the effect individual augmentee duty is having on the Navy: "We’re going to have to slightly re-define ‘the career’ because we have an entire generation who are serving in a slightly different manner, and it’s not insignificant."


Many missions, one command
By Andrew Scutro - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Nov 26, 2007 6:07:33 EST

NORFOLK, Va. — In less than two months as head of Fleet Forces Command, Adm. Jonathan Greenert set out to take in the lay of the land. Instead, it came to him.

First, the approach of Hurricane Noel put naval forces in and around Florida on his radar. Then, the wildfires in San Diego had him looking to the West Coast.

“So here we are that week working through helicopters from North Island and the 3rd Fleet, providing water, fire retardant, scoping out the fires,” he said in his first interview in his new command. “We had two dozen fire trucks working with the California forestry folks and 3rd Fleet reducing power, by all the ships going on their own power.”

On top of that, there was Vigilant Shield, a major homeland security drill run by Northern Command and the maritime strategy rollout during an international conference in Newport, R.I.

While the new strategy illustrates how naval forces have changed and how the Navy perceives its global role, Greenert’s first few weeks may show how the Navy has changed, as well — especially in the realm of maritime interdictions and nontraditional land deployments.

One of Greenert’s first stops was Fort Jackson, a wooded Army post in South Carolina where sailors bound for individual augmentee deployments in the Middle East learn how to shoot, move and survive on land.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/11/navy_greenert_071126w/