Mount Whitney Completes Jackal Stone 2010

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Terry Vick, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa/Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

USS Mount Whitney, At sea (NNS) -- USS Mount Whitney (LCC/JCC 20) completed its part in exercise Jackal Stone (JS10) 2010, ending the 10-day joint military operation in the Baltic Sea, off the coast of Lithuania and Poland, Sept. 26.

JS10 is a multinational military special operations exercise organized by Special Operations Command Europe, designed to improve international military partnerships through joint training with special forces subunits from Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, and the United States.

During JS10, Special Operations Forces (SOF) from participating nations practiced airborne insertion maneuvers, and visit, board, search and seizure techniques.

"JS10 was a unique opportunity for SOF units from these countries to promote better communication and improve our readiness to build a greater fighting force worldwide," said Chief Warrant Officer Daniel Spencer, a special operations task group liaison officer from Naval Special Warfare Unit Two. "Mount Whitney answered the call by providing the ability to practice the underway vessel troop insertion techniques of fast-roping and small boat operations on numerous occasions to assist the SOF units on the ground."

Mount Whitney also supported the exercise by providing a forward afloat staging platform for SOF units and their support elements.

"We were able to be a mobile operating base for the Special Operations Surgical Team, as well as provide aerial reconnaissance and logistical support through the use of our organic air asset," said Lt. Tiffany Hill, Mount Whitney's operations officer.

"During the 10-day special operation exercise, Mount Whitney's presence was a huge asset," said Spencer. "The ship provided excellent surveillance of targets at sea and helped the SOF planners maintain an excellent perspective of the big picture by strategically placing itself off the coast ready to perform any task the SOF required."

Mount Whitney, the flagship for the U.S. 6th Fleet, is homeported in Gaeta, Italy, and operates with a hybrid crew of U.S. Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners.