Tag Archives: Fleet Forces

U.S., Allies Need to Operate in the High North More to Deter China, Russia, Experts Say

U.S., Allies Need to Operate in the High North More to Deter China, Russia, Experts Say

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The crews of Coast Guard Cutter Stratton (WMSL 752) and Canadian coast guard ship Sir Wilfrid Laurier conducted a search and rescue exercise near Point Hope, Alaska, Oct. 12, 2022. US Coast Guard

Physical presence by allied navies and coast guards is increasingly important as Russia builds up its military presence and China’s expands its intentions beyond commerce in the waters of the High North, senior maritime officers from three countries and a National Security Council official agreed last week. Read More →

Fleet Forces Deputy CO to Temporarily Take Command, Change of Command Cancelled

Fleet Forces Deputy CO to Temporarily Take Command, Change of Command Cancelled

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Vice Adm. Nora W. Tyson (right) and Adm. Bill Gortney, commander U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) hold a letter authorizing her to put on a third star during a promotion ceremony in 2013. US Navy Photo

Vice Adm. Nora W. Tyson (right) and Adm. Bill Gortney, commander U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) hold a letter authorizing her to put on a third star during a promotion ceremony in 2013. US Navy Photo

The deputy commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command will temporarily take reins of the organization on Friday following the cancelation of a planned change of command next week, Navy officials told USNI News on Thursday. Read More →

Shutdown: Impact on Navy Operations is Still Unclear

Shutdown: Impact on Navy Operations is Still Unclear

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Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Ramage (DDG-61), USS Barry (DDG-52) and USS Stout (DDG-55) conduct a replenishment-at-sea with the Military Sealift Command oiler USNS Leroy Grumman (T-AO-195) on Sept. 27. US Navy Photo

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Ramage (DDG-61), USS Barry (DDG-52) and USS Stout (DDG-55) conduct a replenishment-at-sea with the Military Sealift Command oiler USNS Leroy Grumman (T-AO-195) on Sept. 27. US Navy Photo

Even with most of the Navy’s civilian workforce returning to their jobs on Monday, there are still lingering questions on how the government shutdown on the Navy’s ships and aircraft. Read More →

Shutdown: Adm. Gortney's Message to Fleet

Shutdown: Adm. Gortney’s Message to Fleet

From the Oct. 4 message from Fleet Forces commander Adm. Bill Gortney to the fleet.

During the current government shutdown, the Fleet will continue to provide ready forces to safeguard national security. In the meantime, we must remember that war fighting is first, and we will continue to provide the best possible support to those engaged in that fight. Concurrently, we will continue to protect the lives and property of our Nation’s citizens. We have historically demonstrated good judgment and scrutiny of our operations and expenditures, and I expect even greater scrutiny in the current environment. Read More →

The Fundamentals of Surface Warfare: Sailors and Ships

The Fundamentals of Surface Warfare: Sailors and Ships

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Adm. John C. Harvey Jr., the outgoing commander of U.S. Fleet Forces, sent the following message to U.S. Navy surface forces commanders Sept. 1, 2012. The email was presented as a parting message before his retirement on Sept. 14, 2012. The message and subsequent attachments were addressed to flag officers in leadership roles in the U.S. Navy’s surface community.

ADM_John_C_Harvey_Jr_0

Fellow Surface Warfare Flag Officers,

I’m communicating with you today in my capacity as the senior Surface Warfare Officer on active duty, otherwise known as “the Old Salt,” who is soon to retire and who, upon retirement, will relinquish that status and the honorific that accompanies it to VADM Terry Blake. This e-mail is my first “Old Salt-gram” to you, the leaders of our community, and it will be my only one.

Having had the great privilege of serving as a SWO for many years in a wide array of duties, the last 12 years as a Flag officer, I’ve watched our community grow and develop in both capability and professionalism across the wide array of mission sets for which we are responsible. And while there is certainly a great deal that is very positive for us to focus on, from the quality and performance of our ships to the quality and performance of our Sailors, there is a significant issue I want to discuss with you because of the painful lessons-learned we’ve accumulated over the years and the potential implications for the surface force if we don’t take those lessons-learned to heart.

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Outgoing Fleet Forces CO: 'I Could Have Done Better'

Outgoing Fleet Forces CO: ‘I Could Have Done Better’

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More than a decade ago, Navy leaders decided to abandon historic standards for ship-manning levels and for shipboard maintenance, supposedly to make the Navy more “business-like” and “efficient” and to make more money available to buy a new generation of ships and weapons.

But the result instead was a sharp drop in the material readiness of the surface ships and a continued decline in fleet size, which forced the leadership to work the remaining operational ships and their smaller crews harder, thus aggravating the problems.

With congressional committees, Navy inspectors and a high-level outside panel issuing increasingly shrill alarms, the leadership finally is acting to correct those mistakes.

A sailor removes deteriorated paint and rust with a disc sander on a weather deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan on Sept. 6, 2012. U.S. Navy Photo

A sailor removes deteriorated paint and rust with a disc sander on a weather deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan on Sept. 6, 2012. U.S. Navy Photo

This week, as he prepares to retire and turn over Fleet Forces Command on Friday, Adm. John C. Harvey has fired off a lengthy message to the surface warfare community and its supporting organizations warning that “the cumulative impact of individual decisions made over long periods of time had put the future readiness of our surface force at risk.”

And he charged those who will remain on watch to adhere to the old proven standards and procedures to restore the surface fleet to its historic state of combat readiness.

It was a strong message from Harvey, who had remained surprisingly quiet about the growing readiness crisis earlier in his tour at FFC.

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