Global Fleet Station Pilot Concludes

With virtually no coverage, which actually describes the deployment for the most part, HSV Swift quietly completed the Global Fleet Station (GFS) pilot mission to the Caribbean nations of Belize, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua and Panama.

In these countries, they conducted 39,890 hours of exchanging knowledge in such areas as leadership, small boat operations, port security and small unit tactics.

“The past six months have been very successful,” said Capt. Douglas Wied, Commander, Task Group (TG)40.9. “Through our subject matter exchanges we’ve learned just as much from our partner forces as they have from us. Terrorism, narco-trafficking and piracy don’t care what nationality you are, these aren’t problems we can solve alone, but together as a team, we can.”

Aside from the subject matter exchanges and training, TG 40.9 also conducted 15 community relations projects in every country they visited as well as visiting schools and sharing their military experiences and messages of GFS with children in Guatemala, Honduras and Panama.

There was so little press coverage it is very difficult to make any specific comments, although I do have one observation. Can anyone tell me any major difference between Global Fleet Stations and CARAT? Looks the same to me.

That isn't a criticism of the mission, the Navy should be commended for recognizing the excellence of CARAT and exporting it to other regions. I also thought it was innovative to use the HSV hull. However, in relation to the original explanation and descriptions of Global Fleet Stations by the CNO back in September of 2006, let me just say the CNO embellished.

Could the GFS have done more? I have no idea, but I do think events occurred that fit right into the GFS model, example 2 major hurricanes that hit GFS targeted nations, that could be recognized as missed opportunities for the Navy. There was also a fair amount of reported piracy in the region, not to mention the usual drug running, so perhaps the GFS missed some chances to be more than an education medium.

If the Navy sees Global Fleet Stations as a way to establish presence in a region, they are going to need more than 1 ship.

Regardless, given the success of CARAT I have no doubt HSV Swift crew did an excellent job and performed brilliantly in ways that will be rewarding towards our nations interests. It certainly sets the stage for the upcoming GFS deployment of the USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) to West Africa.