COMNAVSURFPAC Press Release

Joint Task Force Exercise
by JO1 Palmer Pinckney

More than 14,000 Sailors, Marines, Airmen and reservists will participate in two major exercises taking place off the southern California coast during November. The Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX), taking place November 12-22, and Fleet Exercise (FLEETEX) will provide progressive and realistic pre-deployment training for a carrier battle group, an amphibious ready group, Marine Expeditionary Unit and other deploying units. The exercise will involve over 20 ships and various types of aircraft and helicopters from the USS JOHN C STENNIS carrier battle group and USS BONHOMME RICHARD amphibious ready group with 2,200 Marines of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) embarked. This exercise is a final graduation evaluation for the STENNIS battle group's readiness prior to their deployment on January 7, 2000.

"Our mission in 3rd Fleet is to ensure our carrier battle groups and amphibious ready groups receive the world's best training in order to deploy to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf," said Vice Adm. Dennis McGinn, Commander, 3rd Fleet and officer in command of the exercise. "We also conduct training with the other services to ensure joint interoperability and combat readiness," he explained.

Naval operations will include Maritime Interception Operations, Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations, various air strike and support missions, operational testing of various weapons systems, Theater Ballistic Missile Defense, logistics support, search and rescue and command and control. U.S. Navy and Marine Corps forces will be joined in the exercise by U.S. Air Force aircraft as well as units from Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.

The name Joint Task Force Exercise reflects the increasing focus on preparing naval forces to participate fully in joint operations with other U.S. Forces. During the past several years, this exercise has placed increasing emphasis on incorporating joint terminology, procedures, planning, and command and control structures into battle group training. Participation by units from other branches of the U.S. armed forces is actively sought and incorporated into the exercise whenever possible.

Over the past year the surface forces of both coasts and Navy leadership have worked hard to critically examine life in the surface Navy to find a better way to prepare our ships and crews for combat. The time spent preparing and training for deployments, known at the Inter-Deployment Training Cycle, has been shortened from 26 weeks to about 16 weeks of tailored training. Working smarter, not harder is the goal of the IDTC realignment. Some initiatives include: wireless communications installations, continuous maintenance, habitability improvements, and energy conservation programs, PMS program reductions, sea/shore rotation restructuring, duty section requirements and the Fleet Review Board. These changes span the Navy and have significantly improved the way the service prepares for its warfighting mission in the 21st century.

Major U.S. Navy staffs and units participating in JTFEX and FLEETEX include:

Commander, Third Fleet
First Marine Expeditionary Force
Cruiser Destroyer Group Three
Cruiser Destroyer Group Five
Carrier Air Wing Nine
Carrier Group Seven
Amphibious Squadron Three
Destroyer Squadron Twenty One
Fifteenth Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable)

Foreign units taking part in the exercise:
- Canadian maritime patrol aircraft
- British Royal Navy maritime patrol aircraft
- Royal Australian Air Force maritime patrol aircraft

-SURFPAC-