Global Fleet Stations Pilot Mission

We live in interesting times for the US Navy where initiatives and strategies such as the 1,000 Ship Navy, Global Governance, Global Fleet Stations, the Gulf of Guinea initiative, Operation Enduring Friendship, and the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI)... among others, define the direction of the Navy as it struggles to find its place in a nation involved in two land wars. Each of these initiatives and strategies identify in name both the challenges and solutions for future Naval Maritime Strategy, but whether the strategy will be realized is yet to be determined.

In the meantime, the Navy has embarked upon a field test of the Global Fleet Station. For those not familiar, the CNO first put forth the concept in a document released last year. It can be downloaded here. (save file, add .pdf extention, open with Acrobat)

Borrowing from the Powerpoint Rangers, the idea would place US Naval Forces in regions where there are economic interests for the United States, but additionally the economic and cultural conditions that would give criminals and terrorists a haven if left unchecked.

The first Global Fleet Station mission fell to SOUTHCOM with a dedicated mission to South America. On April 25th, the HSV Swift deployed with its unique payload of Coast Guard, Marines, Dept. of State officials, and sailors in the form of construction teams, training teams, medical teams, and liaisons for NGOs to Belize, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua and Panama.

Navy NewsStand tracks the missions progress:

• Panama Training Mission Begins - 5/1
• Education Mission to Colegio Internacional Del Caribe - 5/2
  
• Subject Matter Expert Exchange Completed - 5/4
• Gymnasium Construction in Colon - 5/7
• Panama Mission Completed - 5/11
• Nicaragua Training Mission Begins - 5/14
• Construction at Casa Bernabe orphanage - 5/16
  
• Nicaruguan Engagement Concludes -5/17
• Mission to Honduras - 5/26
  

I found it interesting that on May 25th, a blogger who is currently in Honduras on a Peace Corp mission took a tour of HSV Swift.

Yesterday I toured a US Navy ship. The HSV-2 Swift is docked at Puerto Castilla on a training mission. Their civilian liaison works for USAID and organized a latrine project with Brent, the business PCV here. She invited Brent and the rest of the PCVs to come take a tour of the ship along with the mayor, governor, and some other municipal employees.

As the mission continues, it will continue to be tracked here. I also intend to discuss the upcoming phase II pilot of the Global Fleet Station concept in the upcoming West African GFS mission.