Think we’re going to hear a speech about this from our boy in Venezuela? Can you smell the sulfer here?
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced today the re-establishment of the U.S. Fourth Fleet and assigned Rear Adm. Joseph D. Kernan, currently serving as commander, Naval Special Warfare Command, as its new commander. Fourth Fleet will be responsible for U.S. Navy ships, aircraft and submarines operating in the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
U.S. Fourth Fleet will be dual-hatted with the existing commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO), currently located in Mayport, Fla. U.S. Fourth Fleet has been re-established to address the increased role of maritime forces in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of operations, and to demonstrate U.S. commitment to regional partners.
“Re-establishing the Fourth Fleet recognizes the immense importance of maritime security in the southern part of the Western Hemisphere, and signals our support and interest in the civil and military maritime services in Central and South America,” said Roughead. “Our maritime strategy raises the importance of working with international partners as the basis for global maritime security. This change increases our emphasis in the region on employing naval forces to build confidence and trust among nations through collective maritime security efforts that focus on common threats and mutual interests. ”
Effective July 1, the command will have operational responsibility for U.S. Navy assets assigned from east and west coast fleets to operate in the SOUTHCOM area. As a result, U.S. Fourth Fleet will not involve an increase in forces assigned in Mayport, Fla. These assets will conduct varying missions including a range of contingency operations, counter narcoterrorism, and theater security cooperation (TSC) activities. TSC includes military-to-military interaction and bilateral training opportunities as well as humanitarian assistance and in-country partnerships.
U.S. Fourth Fleet will retain responsibility as NAVSO, the Navy component command for SOUTHCOM. Its mission is to direct U.S. naval forces operating in the Caribbean, and Central and South American regions and interact with partner nation navies to shape the maritime environment.
Kernan will be the first Navy SEAL to serve as a numbered fleet commander.
And it’s being honchoed by a SEAL?! Look out Citgo, we’re coming to get you…
– Christian
I remember, prior to the Spanish-American war (or maybe the Mexican War, in that fifty year time frame), Venezuela actually had a bigger navy than the US. Good times.
Chavez is the laughing stock of the spanish speaking world. Everyone knows that.
We have more fleets and less ships. More tail and less teeth. Nimitz would roll over in his grave.
Wasnt the 4th Fleet estd to counter German U boats in WW2– see movie THE ENEMY BELOW?
Now we need the 4th Fleet to deter drugs etc from So America– My response.
Bomb the drug fields alone.
No drugs=No Income.
Wasnt the 4th Fleet estd to counter German U boats in WW2– see movie THE ENEMY BELOW?
Now we need the 4th Fleet to deter drugs etc from So America– My response.
Bomb the drug fields alone.
No drugs=No Income.
While we are at it,why don’t we reactivate the 194th Infantry Brigade & place it in the Honduras?
All of the units we deactivated & pulled out of Panama could have easily been placed in the Honduras.So now we are reinventing the wheel,just great.
4th fleet, 12th air force, 1st army… why can’t they keep it simple? like “navy command at SOUTHCOM”, “army command at CENTCOM”, etc…
Divisions (and presumably fleets) are numbered sequentially when they are created: the 1st Division was created 1st, the 3rd was created 3rd. And it makes more sense to do that as well. If you rotate a division or battlegroup to Iraq, do you really want to change over every uniform, restamp everyone’s paperwork, change over every letterhead?
It’s a good administrative practice dating back 2000 years to the Romans.
What is “sulfer”?
“If you rotate a division or battlegroup to Iraq, do you really want to change over every uniform…“
I think most sailors have patches indicating what ship they belong to, rather than fleet.
As for the Army, isn’t the division now a fixed command, with rotations at the brigade-level?
Fleets are numbered based on the geographic location. As an example the Sixth Fleet is the Med. Ships rotate in and out of these fleets based on their deployments with only flag staff usually staying (unless their is a flag ship such as the LaSalle in the 6th Fleet). I can guarantee you nothing is comparable between how the Army and Navy organizes their military power.
To me this really isn’t a change in how we do things down south. SOUTHCOM was in Rossy Roads Puerto Rico until we closed it down. The Navy has conducted UNITAS and drug ops missions in this area for decades.
The one big issue Christian brought up and no one the posts looked at is the fact that the flag officer in charge is a SEAL. That means more black ops down there above and beyond what we currently do.
DC2
I stand corrected. To sglover, glass houses, chief.
When your mom picks you up from the playground, maybe we can talk about maturity.
Pathetic article — just shows who pays the bills here — time to delete this websites link as biased propaganada that it is.
wonder is sorcha faal works here now
You guys don’t understand sarcasm do you?
Keep up the good work Christian.
DC2
Well, is he as much of a pirate as Jonas Ingram, who led the Fourth Fleet from from ’43 to ’44?
I really shouldn’t try to write in the afternoon… especially before a bit of mental lubrication (D1R on the MRC).
GTFU vice STFU.
Cheers,
Chief B.
Oh, and since I didn’t write it yesterday: I think you’re doing a fine job, Christian. Message received re Chavez. He’s a chowderhead who’ll likely have an “accident” before too long. Concentrating that much power in so few hands in South America has had a tendency to concentrate envy and greed among upwardly mobile lieutenants. Being a pompous dickhead generates a few spiteful enemies, too.
If I were Chavez I’d have the willies over flying, driving around in cars, eating, drinking, appearing in public, being around people I don’t know, being around people I do know, sleeping in the same place twice, and many other things that provide opportunities to get shot, stabbed, poisoned, blown straight to hell.
Given that Venezuela is pretty much a lit fuze of indeterminite length, I think it’s a prudent move to stand up 4th Fleet. Which, contrary to the machinations of some minds here, is more an administrative move than anything else. Adm. Kernan and his staff will be able to keep a closer watch on Hugo and the other knuckleheads.
If the Middle East oil fields are nearing peak production, the South American reserves will become very important to a great many people. China’s and India’s ravenous and growing appetites for POL top that list. Does anyone believe that its not in our vital interest to ensure that South American oil flows freely and safely to the U.S. market?
Cheers again,
Chief B.
“If you rotate a division or battlegroup to Iraq, do you really want to change over every uniform…“
Uh, yes. When I was in the Marine Corps we’d be issued desert gear, and then we’d switch out whenever we entered Middle Eastern areas, 7th Fleet I believe. It’s not that hard.
HooYahh Chief B!! Love the first section you wrote, many others of us are awake, aware of this and we never flunk lunch either. Thanks for the post, and F(%$ Hugo if he can’t take a joke: It’s only small rockets incoming to his house, right?
Bronk
Our Navy…“Defenders of Freedom” to all the world! Hu-Rah!!! Thank You Jesus!!! First Fleet is assembling with CVN-70 as the Flag…When 7 Carrier Attack Force’s…“The Archangel AF” is sighted by the Persians, may The LORD bring the liar to his knees…Just show UP…are enemies in their high places” will give up…And pray not any innocent be harmed!!! Thank You Jesus!!! NO one can stand against US’s!!!
Chief Michael SWCzar
Our Navy…“Defenders of Freedom” to all the world! Hu-Rah!!! Thank You Jesus!!! First Fleet is assembling with CVN-70 as the Flag…When 7 Carrier Attack Force’s…“The Archangel AF” is sighted by the Persians, may The LORD bring the liar to his knees…Just show UP…are enemies in their high places” will give up…And pray not any innocent be harmed!!! Thank You Jesus!!! NO one can stand against US’s!!!
Chief Michael SWCzar