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There was feeling of anticipation in the air as the third iteration of the Large Scale Exercise (LSE), commenced August 9, 2023.
For more than two weeks, both Active Duty and Reserve Sailors and Marines came together to successfully reinforce a culture of learning, increase the nation’s warfighting readiness and refine how we synchronize maritime operations on a global scale.
LSE 2023 was the consummate opportunity for eager Reserve Sailors to rehearse carrying-out the Navy Reserve mission.
The Navy Reserve exists to provide strategic depth and deliver operational capabilities in times of peace and war, focusing unambiguously on warfighting readiness.
This year’s exercise took more than 25,000 participants within six Navy and Marine Corps component commands and seven U.S. numbered Fleets, operating seamlessly across 22 time zones-- including more than 35 ships at sea.
LSE 2023 merged real-world operations with virtually constructed scenarios to create a realistic training environment that allowed Sailors and Marines to train the way they fight, regardless of geographic boundaries.
More specifically, for Navy Reserve Sailors, LSE 2023 represented the opportunity to sharpen their skills on a global stage by rehearsing the ability to remain ready to fight and win at a moment’s notice.
LSE 2023 provided Navy Reserve Sailors—who must be ready to mobilize within 72 hours—the opportunity to train to their billet in line with the Chief of Navy Reserve’s Navy Reserve Fighting Instructions.
The Fighting Instructions outline four lines of effort to modernize the force: design, train, mobilize, and develop. The “Train the Force” line of effort, also called, “Mob-to-Billet,” advocates for Sailors to focus on completing the warfighting requirements of their mobilization billet, in addition to readiness requirements, making LSE 2023 the perfect rehearsal.
“Exercises such as LSE contribute greatly to our Reserve force’s ability to focus it’s training efforts on preparing Reserve Sailors for their mobilization billets and ensuring all Reserve Sailors are trained, ready to activate, integrate, and be able to fight on day one,” said Chief of Navy Reserve, Vice Admiral John B. Mustin. “Warfighting readiness is our only priority.”
Although certain elements of LSE 2023 were virtual, all the training was very real. The exercise reflected hypothetical scenarios and was designed to refine how the Navy works as one team on a global scale.
Integrating six Navy and Marine Corps component commands and seven U.S. numbered Fleets around the globe, LSE 2023 was designed to reinforce the Chief of Naval Operations’ effort to set the stage for advancing naval doctrine and tactics by globally integrating fleet operations with emerging technologies to refine and validate Distributed Maritime Operations capabilities.
LSE 2021 was the first iteration of what is slated to become a triennial exercise, to include U.S. partners and allies from around the world. Two years, later, the exercise has proven to be monumental in displaying the Navy’s force.
“The United States is a global power that has global interests. We have allies and partners around the world. We routinely sail, fly, and operate in international spaces,” said Adm. Stuart Munsch, commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe and Africa. “You put that all together, and we have a responsibility to be able to operate globally, effectively, and that's what we're doing. We demonstrate that to assure our allies and partners, and we demonstrate it to deter adversaries.”
In this era of strategic competition, our Reserve Force remains ready to answer the call to fight at any time.
“The Navy Reserve’s role as a critical enabler and a source of strategic depth is our organizational mandate,” Mustin said in his concluding remarks. Our Navy and our joint forces are counting on each of you to contribute to assuring our allies and partners, deterring our competitors, and decisively competing and winning across the spectrum of conflict, in all domains, when called upon.”
The U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps will incorporate lessons learned from LSE 2023 into the planning of its next large scale exercise iteration which will take place in 2025.
| Date Taken: | 08.31.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 12.31.2023 21:54 |
| Story ID: | 461149 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 135 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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