NAVCENT Stands Down Task Force Supporting Afghanistan Evacuation

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Anita Chebahtah | 210826-N-ZA692-0017 U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (Aug. 26, 2021) – A U.S. service member transports supplies in support of U.S. citizens and evacuees arriving from Afghanistan at a location in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations prior to onward travel to the United States. The U.S. 5th Fleet region encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water area and is comprised of 20 countries. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Anita Chebahtah)  

BAHRAIN

09.14.2021

Story by NAVCENT Public Affairs    

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet           

On Sept. 14, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) stood down a task force established last month to temporarily assist the safe evacuation of personnel from Afghanistan.

Task Force 58 helped facilitate the safe transit of more than 7,000 U.S. citizens and evacuees traveling from Afghanistan through Bahrain. The task force included more than 1,400 U.S. and coalition personnel from various units operating in the 5th Fleet area of operations.

"This has been a huge team effort by service members from different ships, commands and branches,” said Hospital Corpsman First Class Lauren Cooper, assigned to amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17). “I think seeing our teamwork on display and knowing we could make a difference was the most satisfying thing about all of this.”

Cooper and other U.S. service members worked alongside U.S. Embassy and Bahraini counterparts to provide travelers meals, short-term lodging and medical services around the clock before departing.

NAVCENT established the task force Aug. 19 and immediately began constructing temporary processing and lodging facilities.

“Setting up all these facilities was done in just 12 hours,” said Lt. Kelly Ray, assigned to NAVCENT. “But judging by the comments from our guests, we were successful. We have a lot to be proud of.”

“It was a lot of hard work and long nights, but we were all up to the task,” said Electrician’s Mate First Class Daniel Cotter, assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia. “I joined the Coast Guard to help people and make a difference. I think that’s what we accomplished.”

In addition to staff from NAVCENT’s headquarters, 10 standing task forces and subordinate task groups, the following commands also supported the mission with personnel and equipment:

• Ronald Regan Carrier Strike Group and embarked Carrier Air Wing 5
• Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Units 5 and 3
• Amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17)
• Amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50)
• Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST) Company Central
• Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical System 22
• Mine countermeasures ships USS Sentry (MCM 3), Devastator (MCM 6), Gladiator (MCM 11) and Dextrous (MCM 13)
• Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15
• Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 26
• Fleet Logistics Support Squadrons 51, 54, 56, 57 and 59
• Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron 1
• Destroyer Squadrons 50 and 22
• U.S. Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia
• Naval Surface Squadron 5
• Naval Expeditionary Combat Forces Command Bahrain
• Naval Mobile Construction Battalions 1 and 11
• Naval Expeditionary Logistics Support Group
• U.S. Army 83rd Civil Affairs Battalion
• Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 4
• Maritime Expeditionary Security Group 2
• Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 57
• Naval Support Activity Bahrain
• Navy Branch Health Clinic Bahrain
• U.S. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Bahrain
• Region Legal Services EURAFCENT detachment Bahrain
• Combined Maritime Forces
• United Kingdom Maritime Component Command
• Coalition Task Force Sentinel
• U.S. Army 127th Military Police Platoon
• Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center Norfolk
• Navy Information Operations Command Georgia
• Aircraft carriers USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), Gerald Ford (CVN 78), George Washington (CVN 73) and John F. Kennedy (CVN 79)
• Amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1)
• Guided-missile destroyers USS James E. Williams (DDG 96) and Stout (DDG 55)
• Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command
• Transient Personnel Unit Norfolk
• Fleet Readiness Center Northwest
• Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2
• Naval Air Station Pensacola
• Navy Cargo Handling Battalion 1
• Amphibious Squadron 8
• Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 209
• Naval Hospital Beaufort
• USS Tranquility Branch Medical Clinic
• Naval Medical Readiness and Training Commands Beaufort, Bethesda, Bremerton, Camp Pendleton, Cherry Point, Corpus Christi, Great Lakes, Jacksonville, Oak Harbor, Patuxent River, Portsmouth, Quantico, San Diego and 29 Palms
• Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Units Fort Belvoir, Groton, Fort Worth and Oceana
• Casualty Receiving and Treatment Ship 3 Portsmouth
• Navy Branch Health Clinics Oceana and Washington Navy Yard
• Naval Information Warfare Systems Command
• Navy Reserve Surge Maintenance detachment San Diego
• Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102
• Surface Development Squadron 1

The U.S. 5th Fleet AOO encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The region is comprised of 21 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab-al-Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.

• Date Taken: 09.14.2021
• Date Posted: 09.14.2021 04:55
• Story ID: 405141
• Location: BH