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Coronado Performs New Role in JTFEX
Story Number: NNS030131-13
Release Date: 1/31/2003 2:17:00 PM
By Journalist 2nd Class McClain Shewman, USS Coronado Public Affairs
ABOARD USS CORONADO, At Sea (NNS) -- Before the sun had a chance to peek over the horizon Jan. 23, the most recent Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) had begun with the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Carrier Battle Group steaming into a formation off the Southern California coast.
USS Coronado (AGF 11) is taking on a new role in this JTFEX. Typically, the command ship plays a support role, distributing information and scenarios to the other ships in this tactical exercise. Now, Coronado Sailors may find themselves knee-deep in unanticipated training evolutions.
Now that the Coronado is playing as a participant, it’s considered one of the high-value units because Commander, Third Fleet Vice Admiral T. Michael Bucchi is aboard.
“If you walk around topside, you’ll see there’s going to be a cruiser or destroyer within 10 miles throughout this exercise,” said Electronics Technician Senior Chief Bill Porter, the Operations Electronics Division leading chief petty officer. These advanced weapons ships will also be close to the Nimitz, because it’s a central force in the battle group.
In previous JTFEXs, Coronado has been a neutral participant; the ship wasn’t playing a role on either the opposition or the allied forces.
“In previous exercises, the Coronado platform itself was not a player. However, Third Fleet was still coordinating the overall events and driving the scenarios. Third Fleet needed to be underway to fulfill that role,” said Porter.
It might seem to be a conflict of interest, having the exercise controllers in such close proximity to its participating host ship; however, Coronado and Third Fleet aren’t exchanging any information on scenarios.
“In the past, we’ve known when a drill was going to happen,” said Porter. “We would schedule them and know when a general quarters or a scenario would begin. We’d get on the 1MC prior to doing those, and we’d tell the ship we were entering a training environment. None of that is happening during [this JTFEX]. At any given moment, something unexpected can happen. The Sailors will see that it’s more realistic and that everyone has to be on their toes because there is no notice," he said.
“Up until this point, it’s been the afloat training group and our own crew training [the Sailors]," Porter continued. "At this point, we’re not scripting anything. We don’t have a training team deciding what’s going to happen,” he said.
On the surface, it may not seem like much of a change, but every Third Fleet and Coronado Sailor is affected by the ship’s mission in this current JTFEX.
“Most of the Sailors are going to see a payoff. This is the payoff for a lot of work in the training. We get to show off some of the skills we learned last year,” said Porter.
For related news, visit the Commander 3rd Fleet Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/c3f.
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