SEACAT 2015 Kicks Off in Singapore

By Lt. Kevin Chambers, DESRON 7 Public Affairs

SINGAPORE (NNS) -- The 14th annual Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) exercise commenced at the Republic of Singapore Navy's Multinational Operations and Exercises Centre (MOEC) Oct. 5.

SEACAT focuses on regional cooperation to address shared maritime security challenges like smuggling, piracy and other illicit activities at sea, by bringing together liaison officers (LNOs) from Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and the United States to collaborate and execute practical maritime responses to multiple realistic scenarios.

"SEACAT is a great venue for multiple nations to come together in a realistic training environment and work through a number of real-world maritime security challenges," said Rear Adm. Charlie Williams, Commander, Task Force 73. "This multilateral cooperation enhances readiness so we can better coordinate our response during contingencies and crises."

During the five-day command post exercise liaison officers will receive simulated reports of suspect vessels in the Straits of Singapore and Malacca, the Andaman Sea or the South China Sea. After sharing information from all available sources, such as Singapore's Information Fusion Centre, Malaysia's International Maritime Bureau, or the Philippines' Coast Watch System, the LNOs will develop and implement response plans during a concurrent field training exercise. Based on the situation, aircraft and ships from participating navies will investigate and conduct on scene boardings as necessary.

SEACAT 2015 continues the trend of increasing complexity into the exercise, as representatives from the Bangladesh Navy will observe the exercise from Singapore.

Also participating in SEACAT for the first time is the joint high-speed vessel USNS Millinocket, which was redesignated by Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus as an Expeditionary Fast Transport (T-EPF). EPFs are part of the new Expeditionary Support-class of ships that SECNAV recently announced.

SEACAT, which began in 2002 under the name "Southeast Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism," was renamed in 2012 to expand the scope of training among regional navies and coast guards.

"Exercises like SEACAT contribute to regional maritime security by expanding capacity and enhancing multilateral cooperation addressing shared concerns," said Captain H.B. Le, commodore Destroyer Squadron 7. "Whether the problem is piracy, smuggling, or other illicit activities at sea, responding to these challenges requires effective communication and coordination, which is developed by working together through realistic training."

U.S. units also participating in the exercise include staff from Commander, Task Force 73, Destroyer Squadron 7, the Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS Amelia Earhart (T-AKE-6), the Safeguard-class rescue and salvage ship USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50), a P-8A Poseidon and a P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.

Commander, Task Force 73 and Destroyer Squadron 7 staff conduct advanced planning, organize resources and directly support the execution of maritime exercises such as SEACAT, the bilateral Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series, and the Naval Engagement Activity (NEA) with Vietnam.

U.S., Bangladesh Armed Forces Complete CARAT 2015

By Kevin Chambers, Destroyer Squadron 7 Public Affairs

NAVAL BASE IAAS KAHN, Bangladesh (NNS) -- The 5th annual exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Bangladesh came to a close at Naval Base Issa Khan, Oct. 4.

CARAT Bangladesh 2015 consisted of five days of shore-based and at-sea training events designed to address shared maritime security priorities, develop relationships and enhance cooperation among participating forces.

"We see CARAT as one of the U.S. Navy's best opportunities to address shared maritime security concerns, develop relationships and enhance interoperability," said Capt. H.B. Le, commodore, Destroyer Squadron 7. " Now in our fifth year working together, CARAT Bangladesh has become the premier engagement between our navies."

In its 21st year, CARAT is a bilateral exercise series between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of nine partner nations in South and Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste. Though a relatively new participant, Bangladesh stands out as the only South Asian nation in the CARAT series and the exercise continues to make steady progress each year.

Training events in each CARAT phase are tailored based on available assets and mutual exercise goals across a broad range of naval capabilities. For the first time, USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) participated in CARAT Bangladesh. During his closing remarks, Capt. Le talked about the importance of Fort Worth's participation.

"This year the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth, one of our navy's newest and most advanced ships, participated in CARAT Bangladesh," said Le. "Her presence was important as this was the first CARAT since 2012 that we had a US Navy ship and crew training at sea with the professional and skilled Sailors from the Bangladesh Navy."

During the sea-phase portion of CARAT, sailors from the Bangladesh Navy trained aboard Fort Worth and participated in a simulated vertical replenishment (VERTREP) exercise. Replenishment at sea (RAS) approaches were also conducted between Fort Worth and two ships from the Bangladesh Navy, the BNS Abu Bakr (FF-15) and the BNS Bangabandhu (FF-25).

"Being able to sail with the professional Sailors from the Bangladesh Navy on board Fort Worth during CARAT was extremely valuable for both navies," said Cmdr. Christopher Brown, USS Fort Worth's commanding officer. "Not only did our Bangladesh Navy partners get to witness first hand Fort Worth operate at sea, they were able to actively participate in the exercises with the crew while embarked. This type of training goes a long way towards interoperability at sea, which benefits the shared security interests of both navies."

U.S. Navy divers and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians also trained alongside the Bangladesh Navy's elite Special Warfare Diving and Salvage (SWADS) unit in Chittagong and the surrounding area. Close quarters battle, small boat maintenance, demolition techniques, hydrographic surveys, diving medicine, and salvage operations were the focus areas of the training.

Additionally, in the Bay of Bengal, the diving and salvage vessel USNS Safeguard (T-ARS 50) with an embarked mobile diving and salvage unit, worked with Bangladesh Navy divers.

U.S. Navy units also participating in CARAT Bangladesh included the diving and salvage ship USNS Safeguard (T-ARS 50) with embarked Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 11-7, a P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, staff from Commander, Task Force (CTF) 73 and Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, Afloat Training Group Western Pacific (ATGWP), Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5, and Navy Environmental and Preventative Medicine Unit (NEPMU) 6.

Commander, Task Force 73 and Destroyer Squadron 7 staff conduct advanced planning, organize resources and directly support the execution of maritime exercises such as the bilateral CARAT series, the Naval Engagement Activity (NEA) with Vietnam, and the multilateral Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

SEJPME program completes transition to Joint Staff J-7

Joint Staff Hampton Roads Public Affairs Office / Published October 05, 2015

SUFFOLK, Va. (AFNS) -- The Joint Staff J-7 Joint Knowledge Online (JKO) Division in Suffolk, Virginia, has assumed responsibility for the Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education (SEJPME) program, capping a year-long transition from the National Defense University.

The Joint Staff J-7, director for Joint Force Development, outlined directives for the SEJPME program in response to the Enlisted Military Education Review Council recommendation to revise the SEJPME program to encompass two stages; one for the E6/E7 community and another for the E8/E9 community.

Effective September 2014, the Joint Staff J-7 JKO Division assumed responsibility from NDU for developing the next generation, two-stage SEJPME program, and took full responsibility for administering the SEJPME program Sept. 1, 2015.

As a phased transition, JKO updated and enhanced the legacy course and began offering it on JKO in May 2015 as a web-based course including 11 modules, comprising more than 40 hours of multi-media, interactive, online instruction. The SEJPME course prepares senior enlisted leaders assigned to joint organizations (or those with orders to joint organizations) to successfully support activities and supervise multiple service members. Upon completion of the course, senior enlisted leaders will be more confident, competent and more fully prepared to: 1) quickly assimilate and effectively contribute in joint assignments, and 2) mentor junior enlisted leaders and other enlisted personnel they may supervise.

Later this month, JKO will begin offering the Next Generation SEJPME as two courses tailored to specific audiences; i.e., a course tailored for E6 and E7s and another for E8 and E9s. The two-stage program will provide a timely learning progression for senior level enlisted, mitigating the learning and time gap between what joint knowledge is needed at the E6-E7 level, and what could be years later needed for an E8-E9 preparation for joint assignment.

SEJPME is the primary source of enlisted joint professional military education. Now on JKO, senior enlisted have 24/7 access to enroll and complete this professional development opportunity on a self-enrolled, self-paced study basis.