Navy

The Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) worked together with Djiboutian and Spanish forces for the biannual Bull Shark exercise at Camp Doraleh and near Arta Range to enhance multinational interoperability May 28 – June 4, 2023.

“Throughout this exercise, we had the privilege of forging an intimate alliance with our esteemed international partners, the United States of America and Spain,” said Col. Wais Omar Bogoreh, commandant of the Djiboutian coast guard. “Their invaluable expertise, support, and seamless cooperation have been instrumental in attaining the resounding success we celebrate today.”

Bull Shark is a crisis response and personnel recovery exercise designed to test communication and interoperability between like-minded partners.

“Each iteration exponentially increases our interoperability, operational skill sets, and common understanding,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Jami Shawley, commanding general CJTF – HOA. “Each iteration we try new things and we learn new things as we collectively get better, better together.”

This is the first iteration of exercise Bull Shark to include an academics week to gain familiarization on the main elements of the exercise for the culminating event. The academics week included a knowledge exchange about visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS), medical tactical combat casualty care (TCCC), squad movement, laws of the sea, survival, evasion, resistance, and escape (SERE) training, and a rehearsal of concept drill.

“It was kind of an idea that we came up with together with our operational planning team prior to executing Bull Shark,” said U.S. Army Cpt. Donald Arndt, CJTF – HOA exercise planner. “We were able to determine what key tasks we were going to train on the day of the exercise and go over what we wanted to practice before execution day.”

Exercise Bull Shark’s culminating event included multiple personnel recovery scenarios of land, sea, and air components under simulated fire from a hostile force with participation from multiple U.S. military branches, the Spanish navy and Djiboutian coast guard.

During the land portion, CJTF – HOA security forces and engineer support company collaborated with the Spanish Naval Forces to respond to a simulated private beach invasion, Arndt said. This included assessing casualties which led to the sea portion of the exercise.

While providing close air support to the land portion, the Spanish naval helicopter was notionally shot down prompting a sea rescue mission of two pilots stranded in the water. The Spanish naval forces then sent a request to CJTF – HOA for rescue support as the Djiboutian coast guard secured the area. Then two Spanish naval members were put into the water and CJTF – HOA conducted an aerial hoist to pick them both up, Arndt continued.

“Both the hoist and mass casualty drill is the personal recovery aspect of the mission, and that’s why we practice this exercise,” said Arndt.

The exercise required complex multinational logistical coordination to ensure the mission objectives were accomplished while maneuvering safely. Training together as a combined joint force often is vital for understanding how each element operates.

“The two most important things are timing and safety,” said Lt. Federico Supervielle Bergés, a pilot in the Spanish navy. “With timing comes communication which is really important so that everyone is on the same page, which takes a lot of planning beforehand. We had a lot of moving parts, so safety is also very important and a part of making sure that we are able to clearly communicate.”

Exercise Bull Shark planning began months prior to execution, and actively involved all participants.

“We started coordinating this a while before we got to do it, and I think it went well,” Supervielle said. “ I think we got very good training out of it and it’s been fun, but that’s the way for it to go well is to be prepared.”

Practicing these scenarios also allows all participants to work through communication challenges before a real-world event. Every iteration of Bull Shark aims to increase in complexity and incorporate more opportunities for partner nations to learn from one another.

“It was a long day, a hard day, tough day, but it was worth it, and it was a very successful exercise,” said Capt. Mohamed Abdoulkader Ali, chief of the colonel of the Djibouti coast guard commandant. “We look forward to the next Bull Shark exercise, and we just want to thank our American and Spanish counterparts for being helpful, and we gained a lot of knowledge, experience and we’ll be ready pretty soon to do more to enhance our capacity building during the next Bull Shark exercise.”

— East-coast based Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs) recently conducted a comprehensive training exercise focused on non-combatant emergency evacuation operations. The training, held at night, involved the use of simulated munitions to better emulate real-life scenarios.

The elite maritime special operations commandos, renowned for proficiency in executing high-risk missions, embarked on the training to further enhance their capabilities and readiness in the event of humanitarian crises, natural disasters, or other contingencies that require rapid and efficient evacuations.

Under the cover of darkness, Navy SEAL elements assembled at locations throughout Southeastern Virginia where they meticulously planned and executed the exercise. The scenario aimed to replicate the unpredictable and challenging conditions that SEALs might face in real-world situations, where lives are at stake and time is critical.

During the exercise, the Navy SEALs employed simulated munitions to create a high-intensity environment while ensuring the safety for all participants. The realistic nature of the training allowed the commandos to develop and refine their skills in a controlled setting, replicating the stress and pressure they may encounter in actual evacuation situations.

The training encompassed evacuations from hostile environments, rescue missions in treacherous terrain, and transportation of non-combatants under extreme circumstances.

Commodore Bill Gallagher, Commander, Naval Special Warfare Group TWO, expressed his appreciation for the dedication and professionalism exhibited by the SEALs and support personnel during the exercise. He emphasized the importance of such training in ensuring the Navy SEALs remain the world’s leading maritime commandos.

“These exercises provide an opportunity for our operators and support personnel to hone their skills, coordinate with other units, and enhance their ability to conduct complex operations,” Gallagher said. “It is critical for us to train under the most challenging conditions – and thereby prepare our teams for what they will face during real-world operations.”

The recent withdrawal of the U.S. Embassy in Sudan underscored the importance of readiness to exquisitely plan and execute non-combatant emergency evacuation operations. The real-world event was a timely reminder of the critical role these elite commandos play in safeguarding lives during complex international crises.

The Navy SEALs’ commitment to constant training and refinement is a testament to their reputation as the premier global maritime commandos.

PACIFIC OCEAN – Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9 held a change of command ceremony June 2 aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), while conducting operations off the coast of southern California.

Rear Adm. Robert Chadwick turned command over to Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander as commander, CSG 9.

“It’s been the honor and privilege of my career to lead this incredible group of Sailors the past two years,” said Chadwick. “I leave you in the hands of one of the finest Naval officers I know, and I ask that you give Rear Adm. Alexander the same high level of support and professionalism as you have to me.”

Chadwick took command of CSG 9 in July 2021, leading a team comprised of USS Theodore Roosevelt, USS Lake Erie (CG 70), six guided-missile destroyers of Destroyer Squadron 23, and 80 aircraft of Carrier Air Wing 11. During his two years in command, he oversaw the completion of an 18-month maintenance availability and follow-on Fleet certifications for Theodore Roosevelt.

Vice Adm. Michael Boyle, commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, served as presiding officer and guest speaker for the ceremony.

“Adm. Chadwick guided this strike group through an extraordinary period, ensuring the Nation can continue to rely on its ships, aircraft and Sailors to protect and defend our way of life,” said Boyle. “He was the right leader to guide this fighting team at this crucial time in our history, and our Navy and Nation are stronger as a result.”

Chadwick and Alexander, in keeping with time-honored Navy tradition, marked the ceremonial changing of command by reading their orders from the podium.

“It’s an honor to be taking command of Carrier Strike Group 9 at this critical time in our Nation’s history,” said Alexander. “This team – and the Sailors who make our mission success possible – are moving with purpose through our deployment workup cycle. We are ready to answer the call and to ensure a safe and open Indo-Pacific as a direct result of Rear Adm. Chadwick’s insightful and forward-thinking leadership.”

Alexander’s previous assignment was as commander, Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center. (additional info needed on background – where is he from?)

CSG 9’s mission is to plan and conduct operations and exercises in a variety of warfare areas including surface, subsurface and air while participating in the employment of Navy assets and assisting type commanders in the preparation and execution of employment and training schedules. They are based in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of responsibility operating as part of naval forces in the Indo-Pacific.

To learn more about Theodore Roosevelt, visit https://www.navy.mil/USS-THEODORE-ROOSEVELT and www.dvidshub.net/unit/USSTR-CVN71.