NORFOLK
The amphibious assault ship Kearsarge arrived home Tuesday morning after four months of spreading goodwill.
Its crew of more than 1,000 toured the Caribbean, visiting South and Central American countries to bring medical care, engineering expertise and humanitarian assistance.
The team included service members from various military branches, as well as civilians from non governmental organizations. They operated on patients, built and renovated schools, delivered relief to hurricane victims and more.
The Kearsarge is just one of the Norfolk-based ships that has undertaken such a mission in recent months, and these deployments signal a shift in the military's role on the world stage. As these ships arrive on distant shores, their goal is to back up U.S. talk of friendship with action.
The hope, say the ships' commanders, is that these tours will pay off for everyone.
"It was a mission of compassion," said Capt. Frank Ponds, commander of Amphibious Squadron 8, who traveled aboard the Kearsarge. "It shows our commitment to the region and it improves the U.S.'s image throughout the world."
In the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the military has rethought its role. The result was a plan, released jointly by the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard late last year, dubbed "A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower."
It calls for, among other things, an increased use of "soft power," with the maritime military going forth to spread goodwill by strengthening international partnerships and providing humanitarian assistance.
While the strategy's language is relatively straightforward, its concepts must be brought down to the tactical, personal level to be useful.
In the Kearsarge's case, its medical teams provided services to nearly 200,000 people and flew more than 200 people to the ship for surgery.
In Haiti, where the ship diverted in September after a series of storms, its air crews delivered more than 30 metric tons of relief supplies to otherwise unreachable parts of the island.
In the case of the cruiser San Jacinto, which spent seven months in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean and Black seas earlier this year, larger projects focused on search-and-rescue techniques and maritime security.
In Senegal, which had experienced a ferry accident several years before, the ship's sailors trained helicopter crews and rescue swimmers.
When Capt. Matthew Sharpe, the ship's commanding officer, learned that one of the country's primary power boats was ailing, he sent a mechanic ashore to tune it up, greatly increasing the boat's horsepower in the process.
This non traditional interaction is possible, Sharpe said, "once we have our combat readiness sorted out. We can approach in a non threatening manner, go to contested areas and work with new folks."
The non threatening approach can be used even in the tensest of situations. When some of Sharpe's crew boarded a ship to verify an arms shipment, they didn't come empty handed.
Once they saw everything was well on board, they offered the other crew a plate of warm cookies.
"The power of the freshly baked cookie has proven itself in several theaters," Sharpe said.
Both Americans and their allies have something to gain from this type of cooperation, he said. "This is not just about American interests, but world interests."
Cmdr. Daniel Shaw agrees. His dock landing ship Fort McHenry returned in May from a deployment to West Africa's Gulf of Guinea.
"Small gains are the seed corn for a long, productive relationship" he said, and they're driven by intensive, pre-trip planning with the host governments.
These plans, Shaw said, "don't take a big defense budget nor fancy hardware, but they're the meat of what we do in the military."
While on tour, Shaw's sailors trained crews off the coast of Sao Tome and Principe, helping them with their ship identification system and creating a safer environment that, he said, benefits everyone.
"Where security is enhanced, trade among nations, training opportunities and idea exchanges are formed in a very positive meaningful way," he said, adding that this only comes "through a consistent, persistent presence."
And when the ships head for home, the hope is that they leave something useful behind.
Shaw's crew developed a basic welding course that it then taught to several nations. The Kearsarge, meanwhile, helped Guyana develop a medical care delivery program that the country's health ministry will continue, said the ship's commanding officer, Capt. Walter Towns.
Shaw said the term "soft power" is inaccurate for these types of missions.
"The strongest bond you have is the trust you build with the people you work with," he said.
"If you can solve a problem today by showing a guy how to maintain fishing waters, showing him how to deal with piracy, you won't have to deal with all-out war.
"I think there's just nothing but good that's coming out of this."
Matthew Jones, (757) 446-2949, matthew.jones@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
wag23455
Yes, being haze grey and underway is indeed a part of being a sailor. However, it's enough we ask these men and women to do it in deterrence and defense of the nation. They shouldn't be asked to go spend even more time away from home and family to ease your conscience or anyone else's over some other countries poor living conditions which none of you would care about if the Feds knocked on your door and handed your travel orders on a humanitarian relief mission. No, you'd be the first ones throwing a fit. Men and women in uniform don't have any choice in the matter. And, most are in between combat deployments when they are sent on these so called missions.
markk33831
No, I'm talking about right now. With a supposedly inferior Chinese Navy that managed to sneak a 50 year old noisy diesel submarine into a modern US carrier battle group, and surface right next to the big cheese without anyone detecting it until the sub skipper popped the hatch, came out, and laughed. Foreign militaries are ALWAYS testing your detection and defensive abilities, probing for weakness. When they find a big one or enough small ones together, they will strike for real. It doesn't take an over salaried 'expert' with more education than brains to figure that out. How is building schools, planting trees, delivering box lunches and band-aids going to train the the fleet to handle this? Obviously, it's having the opposite effect.
I hope the State Dept. ponies up some of the funding for this.
The military has funding shortages in equipment and personnel intended for warfighting. If the military is going to perform expensive diplomatic duties, then the State Department, whose primary mission is international relations, should help with the tab.
jkbrent
You're talking about a war that has been over for over 35 years now! What you're talking is sending our military to war with outdated equipment and tactics that ensures they WON'T win. The world is a very different place and warfare is very different too now verses that of the 1960's. People who know all about this change and have written about it include retired Marine Colonel Thomas Hammes who wrote 'The Sling and the Stone.' He served as a Marine battalion commander in Iraq. Noted historian Max Boot wrote about the changes over time in his book 'The Savage Wars of Peace.' Our own military leaders know you can't fight wars based on decades-old tactics and expect to win. Humanitarian missions are important, and vital in this day and age and they understand it.
Been down that road before....
"Modern Warfare IS about winning over the hearts and minds...."
That's exactly the strategy employed in Viet Nam. Look where that ended up. Nope. When a fight comes at sea, (a real fight, not seizing unarmed merchants), being well skilled as Bob the Builder, or Martha Stewart will not win the battle. Knowing the equipment, the duties that go with operating it, and performing those functions as quickly as humanly possible is what will win.
Actually Caspar
The majority of those countries HAVE paid us back. General Accounting Office records prove this. And don't forget: many of those countries we based troops and personnel in to not only keep them protected from being overwhelmed by the U.S.S.R. but help us keep communism contained too. Now, with the pull out from those bases, many of those same said countries are having to deal with environmental disasters left over at those locations that we didn't clean up before we left. So with our humanitarian aid we've also left scars. Press relations are just as much a tool of warfare as rifles and ships these days. The countries that understand this and play to it are the ones that will win future conflicts.
Nothing New
"and these deployments signal a shift in the military's role on the world stage."
The Pilot would have the reader believe that this is a shift in the role of the military.
The military has been providing humanitarian missions and support ever since the founding of our great country Try World War II on for size. That was the biggest humanitarian mission the US ever undertook and succeeded, bailing out the rest of Europe under the NAZI boot. After the war, the US rebuilt Europe. Have all those countries thanked us, much less paid us back?
Modern Warfare
Modern Warfare IS about winning over the hearts and minds. Goodwill missions are absolutely necessary for our military to show that they aren't the bad guys out there, that they are there to help people. The necessity of such missions has been outlined and talked about by numerous military analyists, and many of them are experienced war fighters too. Modern warfare HAS to play just as much to winning over the good will of people as it does fighting our enemies.
"Soft power" is a good thing...
...and the ships and crews carrying out these important missions are to be commended. HOWEVER--we're long overdue for some HARD power applied to pirates. It's time for "Admiral" Mullen and "Admiral" Roughead to demonstrate they're more than just figureheads. Either that or be replaced by some warriors who can carry out the rest--and most important parts--of the US Navy mission.
Humanitarian relief
If any relief should be done then I would vote for doing it here in OUR own Country First!
We go and spend vast sums of money to try to be buddies with people that hate our guts and wish for us to die!
When we have NO kids or Families or Old people in OUR country going hungry or without shelter and the necessities of life then, we can send a little relief in the form of surplus food.
It is irritating to hear that we do not do enough.
We do more than any other civilized Country that I know of.
When there is a disaster in the world we run to help.
How many times have other Countries come to our aid when we have a disaster?
Not many I would imagine.
It is time to think; America First!
Bring back the jobs that have been lost back to our Country!
We should also really watch who we allow into OUR Country and make sure they are legal since it would seem that we are being invaded and the Government stands by without a care as hospitals and welfare organizations are overrun and drained by people here Illegally instead of the people that the institutions were set up to serve in the first place.
America First!
You Don't Know What You're Talking About
To previous commentor: As the family member of a man who served 20 years in Army Special Forces (Green Beret), I can tell you without a doubt that promoting goodwill in different countries (where future missions could be necessary)IS of military value, as well as the training that these goodwill missions provide. You think sitting in a dock trains anyone? Thank you to the crew for all that you did for our country and so many others!
I DISAGREE
Under the current administration, the Navy has been used as the 21st century Great White Fleet. Maybe you folks havent figured it out but nobody is scared of us anymore. Our international image is a dirt. These sorts of "missions" are essential for improving our image overseas, actually help people, and are a helluva alot better than turning squares needlessly while the crew does the underway rendition of Groundhog Day. Not to mention, the crew actually feels a sense of worth and accomplishment doing these sorts of things. As far as time away from home, thats inherant with being a Sailor. GET OVER IT!
Wasting time, money and resources
This is the Navy, not Americorps, or the Peace Corps. It has zero military value, wastes fuel, good training time and puts needless wear and tear on naval assets. Not to mention it's just more time for sailors away from family and home and for what? So, some bleeding hearts in the media, Congress and the State Department can be made to go aaawwwwhhh, how sweet. All the while, our present and future enemies sharpen their skills in warmaking.