USS Porter Participates in Exercise Breeze 2015

From U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet

VARNA, Bulgaria (NNS) -- Senior members of the guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) attended the Exercise Breeze 2015 pre-sail conference in Varna, Bulgaria, July 7.

The focus of the exercise is on interoperability, anti-submarine warfare, and maritime interdiction operations, among other warfare capabilities.

Quote:

"This exercise and port visit provides us the opportunity to meet our naval counterparts, exchange ideas, and work together for regional stability. My crew is excited about this exercise with our Bulgarian and NATO allies, and very much appreciates their warm hospitality,"

-Cmdr. Blair Guy, USS Porter commanding officer

Quick Facts:

-U.S. forces scheduled to participate are the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter and a P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and aircrew assigned to Patrol Squadron (VP) 47.

-Breeze 2015 is a Bulgarian led exercise. The U.S. goal is to train and exercise multinational and multi-warfare capabilities with the participating nations.

-Forces from the U.S., Bulgaria, Turkey, Romania, Greece and NATO standing groups will participate.

-Porter arrived in Varna, Bulgaria, July 6 to participate in the exercise.

-The exercise includes an in port pre-sail phase; a three-day underway phase; and an in port evaluation phase.

-Porter entered the Black Sea July 5 in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The United States continues to demonstrate its commitment to the collective security of our NATO allies and support for our partners in Europe, in light of the on-going Russian intervention in Ukraine. All DoD efforts in support of our NATO allies in Eastern Europe fall under the umbrella of Atlantic Resolve.

-Porter, forward deployed to Rota, Spain, is on a routine patrol conducting naval operations with allies and partners in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in order to advance security and stability in the Black Sea region.

-VP 47, currently on deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet theater, is supporting with one P-3 operating from Souda Bay, Greece.

-U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

Senior Enlisted Leaders Exchange Ideas Before Talisman Sabre 2015

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joshua Karsten, Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

SYDNEY, Australia (NNS) -- Senior navy enlisted leaders from Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. 7th Fleet exchanged ideas, concerns and the way forward for the three nations before the start of the Australia-U.S. exercise Talisman Sabre 2015.

The senior enlisted "roundtable" served as an opportunity to discuss Talisman Sabre operations but also other important topics at the deck-plate level to include task group and battlefield circulation, ship rider exchanges, leadership development and future engagements.

"Senior enlisted advisors are right there with the Command Task Force commanders and are relied upon to speak up and say when an idea is not executable, that experience comes from the deck-plate leadership from our senior enlisted advisors," said Vice Adm. Robert L. Thomas, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. "There are plenty of good and bad ideas but if we just leave it up to the flag officers, I think that's a bad move. Our senior enlisted members put some rationality to decision making and that's how we will better decide what is executable...and this group has a very good picture of what's executable."

Royal Australian Fleet Command Warrant Officer Stephen Downey was in attendance and said that talks like these are a ticket to opening the gateway to the Australian navy and their future capability.

"It's an ongoing relationship with a lot of history in place already and I cannot see it continuing any other way," said Downey. "It's a continual relationship that's healthy and it's required for what's going on in the world to show to the world that we are united forces."

The group also included New Zealand Warrant Officer of the Navy Steven Bourke, the equivalent of the U.S. Navy's Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON). New Zealand navy members will also be partaking in this year's Talisman Sabre exercise.

"We are all on the same page in relation to what we want to achieve, said Bourke. "The talks allow us to make movements to allow these connections to work effectively allowing enlisted personnel the opportunity through us to deliver their message and use their ideas and strengths to make a bigger contribution to the overall mission."

Talisman Sabre is a biennial combined joint exercise designed to improve Australian and U.S. combat readiness and interoperability, maximize combined training opportunities and demonstrate U.S. resolve to support the security operations of a key ally.

George Washington Carrier Strike Group Kicks Off Talisman Sabre 15

From Commander, Task Force 70 Public Affairs

TIMOR SEA (NNS) -- Sailors from the George Washington Carrier Strike Group (GWCSG) began their portion of Talisman Sabre 2015 off the north coast of Australia, July 7.

Exercise Talisman Sabre is a biennial training activity aimed at improving Australian and U.S. combat readiness and interoperability.

"Talisman Sabre provides a realistic and challenging environment that improves both nations' ability to work bilaterally," said Rear Adm. John Alexander, commander of GWCSG. "It also helps to prepare U.S. and Australian service members to work together to provide security in the region and around the world."

The GWCSG will join the more than 33,000 U.S. and Australian personnel, 21 ships, more than 200 aircraft, and three submarines, in this sixth iteration of the exercise. The strike group will focus on joint training alongside the Royal Australian Navy and Air Force by conducting sea and air training throughout multiple areas in and around Australia.

"This exercise illustrates the closeness of the Australia-U.S. alliance and the strength of our military-to-military relationship." said Alexander. "It provides an invaluable opportunity to conduct operations in a joint environment that will increase all participants' ability to plan, coordinate and execute complex operations."

Participants from the GWCSG include the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 and Destroyer Squadron 15, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54), and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Chafee (DDG 90), USS Mustin (DDG 89) and USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62).

548th ISRG creates support initiative for Airmen by Airmen

by Airman 1st Class Ramon A. Adelan
9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs

7/7/2015 - BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California  -- The 548th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group at Beale Air Force Base, California, collaborated with the 9th Medical Group and other supporting agencies to develop the Sustained Performance Enhancement and Resiliency (SPEaR) initiative, which assists ISR Airmen in maintaining an optimal level of performance.

"It's a joint initiative between the 548th ISRG and supporting agencies to create a more population-centric human performance optimization initiative tailored toward the needs of ISR Airmen," said Maj. Travis Lunasco, 548th ISRG operational psychologist.

The primary goals of SPEaR are to create a culture of Total Force Fitness and Human Performance Optimization, foster empowerment toward self-care, examine organizational policies and processes, and equip front-line supervisors with ways to engage Airmen.

"We began with just an idea of this initiative. We learned about the ISR Airmen, the unique set of skills they have, the demand in their enterprise, as well as some of their vulnerabilities," Lunasco said. "What we've done is create a model that is very unique because it identifies and builds on pre-existing strengths and reduces vulnerabilities exclusive to the ISR community here on Beale."

SPEaR is a community initiative in which the Airmen assigned to the 548th ISRG advocate for their own health and performance. It is a constantly evolving movement that allows them to take care of their own. Many of the services in design or being offered are; personal finances, performance optics, mental tactics, performance nutrition, functional fitness, social networking, medical, and mentoring. These services are designed, coordinated and implemented by 548th ISRG Airmen.

"It's not necessarily always a medical or health-related situation for Airmen," said Col. Jody Ocker, 9th MDG commander. "It could be another aspect in their life, whether it's something at home or outside of work, that can hinder their performance."

SPEaR is a full spectrum initiative, meaning it requires leadership and mission operators to examine the architectural framework of the institution as a whole for opportunities to implement skill sets directly into the existing infrastructure. The changes or modifications of the existing infrastructure can help ensure daily practices and mission requirements are met by providing Airmen with resources that can assist them at work or in their personal life.

"The really unique thing about this is the ISR community is letting us know what they need," Ocker said. "The community can verify a problem or request assistance to better an aspect of what their mission requires. As the medical side, I will look over my staff and see if we could help meet that need, assess it or provide consultation."

Lunasco added that this initiative at the 548th ISRG could be replicated for all Airmen. Every Airman, such as security forces, maintainers, and civil engineers, have their own unique challenges, and finding ways to help support them is a start to a more resilient Air Force, he said.

"This is about being proactive, inoculating Airmen and giving them skill sets or tools to help them operate optimally versus waiting until their health or performance degrades," Lunasco said.