Photo By Canadian Forces PO 1 David Lawlor | Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 133, and Marines from the...... read more read more
CAMP LEJEUNE, NC--Twenty-Second Naval Construction Regiment’s (22 NCR) ability to Command and Control (C2) all elements of expeditionary naval units was on full display during Large Scale Exercise (LSE) 2021.
22 NCR provided C2 of assigned Naval Expeditionary Combat Forces (NECF), Marine engineers, and other naval units, overseeing a naval integrated task element during Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS) missions and throughout various, multi-disciplined engineering projects.
Navy and Marine Corps cooperation was of full display as 22 NCR integrated with Second Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF), and planned, coordinated, and oversaw the execution of a wide range of missions and tasking of units, including: Marines from 8th Engineering Support Battalion (8th ESB), Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 271, Landing Craft Unit (LCU) 1662 and Naval Cargo Handling Battalion (NCHB) 1.
Others NECF integration during LSE included: Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 1, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 133, Explosive Ordinance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 6, EODMU 2, Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2, Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron (MSRON) 2, Beach Master Unit (BMU) 2, Military Sealift Command Atlantic and the offshore supply ship, MV Connor Bordelon.
LSE 2021 increased U.S. Navy and Marine Corps interoperability as a globally-integrated Naval Force capable of projecting American power from sea to shore at home and around the world. Specifically for 22 NCR’s, integration with Commander, Task Force Six Eight (CTF-68) and II MEF and develop synchronization between the Navy and Marine Corps team.
“Integration with the MEF was critical to our success during LSE 2021 and will be essential during the high-end fight.” said Lt. Cmdr. Austin Rasbach, 22 NCR’s Operations Officer. “During LSE 2021 we had some unique command and control relationships and missions. Working side-by-side with the II MEF allowed us to build solid teams and connections that will last well past LSE 2021.”
Commander, 22 NCR, Capt. Kemit W. Spears, lauded the efforts of the units involved and spoke to the dependability the forces displayed during LSE.
“Really a great operation all around. All units performed brilliantly and demonstrated our ability to operate with many different units including: EOD technicians, USMC engineers, Navy small craft units, research and development teams, and a host of other key players.” Spears said. “Our combined efforts in executing rapid repair and reopening of ports and airfields showed the value that Seabees bring to the Navy and Marine Corps team around the globe.”
As a component of NECF, the Seabees provide the unique capabilities of general engineering support, bridging, Expeditionary Airfield Damage Repair (ExADR), Expeditionary Port Damage Repair (ExPDR), which provide mission-critical capabilities that ensure sustained logistics in a distributed maritime operations (DMO) environment. NMCB 133 showcased these capabilities through an ExADR exercise and general engineering support projects on board Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, NC and ExPDR on board Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, VA, in support of UCT 1.
“The experimentation and concept development events during LSE 2021 allowed our Sailors to provide direct feedback to processes and equipment they will use to tackle future problems,” Rasbach said. “LSE 2021 provided a valuable venue to get into the field and really push these new processes and equipment.”
LSE 2021 also included the successful execution of fuel operations by the crew of the MV Connor Bordelon, 8th ESB, ACU-2 and NCHB-1, under the direction of 22 NCR. The evolution showcased the transfer of bulk fuel from ship to shore using fuel bladders on Landing Craft Unit (LCU) 1662. This included, for the first time, the utilization of the experimental Distributed Littoral Operations Fuel Transfer System (DLOFTS), moving fuel from a ship close to shore through a fuel line to a fuel bladder on the beach. Such experimentation efforts with fuel delivery in the littorals and on the beach showed some of the possibilities for future missions and exercises, Spears added.
LSE 2021 was designed to refine how the Navy and Marine Corps synchronizes maritime operations across multiple Fleets, in support of the joint force. For some, the integration experience was a critical component to future success.
“LSE 2021 has been a great opportunity for NCHB-1 to build our field experience and continue to benefit from working together with Marines,” said Lt. j.g. Elizabeth Flanary, NCHB-1’s officer in charge of the DLOFTS evolution. “Working on fuel transfer from ship to beach and then re-fueling aircraft with so many different units provided valuable lessons learned on how we can make our fuels program more effective and we look forward to working with 22 NCR and the various Marine Corps fuels elements in the future.”
LSE 2021 merged live and synthetic training capabilities to create an intense, robust training environment. It connected high-fidelity training and real-world operations, to build knowledge and skills needed in today’s complex, multi-domain, and contested environment.
“Our mission is command and control. That is why we exist. It means we give the operational units the tools and logistics they need, the clear mission guidance and parameters to execute, and then get out of their way so they can succeed brilliantly, Spears said. “That is exactly what happened. I’m so proud of the planning efforts and the flawless execution by all the commands operating in this exercise. It’s just great to see such a large exercise come together and demonstrate how the Navy and Marine Corps team integrate to get our jobs done.”
| Date Taken: | 08.24.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 08.25.2021 14:41 |
| Story ID: | 403831 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 235 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Command and Control: The Key to Successful Distributed Maritime Operations, by PO 1 David Lawlor, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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