A Testimony to The World

U.S. Sixth Fleet Marks 200 Years of Forward Presence

By GREGORY G. JOHNSON

Vice Adm. Gregory G. Johnson, commander of the U.S. Sixth Fleet and of Naval Striking and Support Forces Southern Europe, previously served as senior military assistant to then- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen; he was nominated last month for a fourth star and for assignment as commander U.S. Naval Forces Europe and commander Regional Command South, Naples, Italy.

This is the bicentennial year of the U.S. Navy's forward presence. Two hundred years ago, President Thomas Jefferson sent a squadron of U.S. Navy ships to the Mediterranean. When the USS President, USS Essex, USS Philadelphia, and USS Enterprise anchored in the Bay of Gibraltar on 1 July 1801 those ships brought something truly honorable to the shores of Europe and North Africa--not just the American flag, but U.S. Sailors and Marines.

Of the first Mediterranean Squadron, Jefferson said, "I sent a small squadron of frigates into the Mediterranean with assurances to that power of our sincere desire to remain in peace, but with orders to protect our commerce against the threatened attack." Describing the heroic exploits of the small schooner USS Enterprise, he said, "The bravery exhibited by our citizens on that element will, I trust, be a testimony to the world that it is not the want of that virtue which makes us seek their peace."

Clearly, Jefferson had a passion for peace, and an appreciation for the formidable sea power necessary to achieve and maintain that peace.

Making a Difference

Two hundred years later, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise and the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Philadelphia have just completed routine deployments to the same part of the world. These mighty ships carry the legendary names of their illustrious predecessors. More importantly, though, they also displayed the same honor, courage, and commitment by U.S. Sailors and Marines in an environment that has changed dramatically. Today's Sixth Fleet is typically composed of some 25 ships, 120 aircraft, and 15,000 Sailors and Marines serving afloat and ashore in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. And the young Americans of the U.S. Sixth Fleet are making a tremendous difference in the world today.

In Jefferson's day, American interests were threatened by piracy on the high seas. The U.S. Navy was sent to protect American interests against a clearly defined threat. Today's threat is much greater and much more complex. Global interests are threatened by social, political, and economic instability in several areas surrounding the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. Sixth Fleet Sailors and Marines protect American interests by using sea power in a manner that supports regional stability and fosters an environment in which peace and prosperity can flourish.

The Sixth Fleet's influence in Europe, including the Caucasus, and in Africa is important to Americans for a variety of political and economic reasons. Collectively, these regions are responsible for 87 percent of all the foreign investment that flows into the United States and 53 percent of all U.S. investments abroad. Additionally, 22 percent of U.S. exports and 19 percent of U.S. imports are bought and sold in the vast European market place. The combined value of U.S. trade and investments makes the European Union America's single largest economic partner, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics.

Forward Presence at Work

Europe and Africa remain in many ways political centers of gravity for the world. Europe is home to the most important U.S. alliance, NATO, and to many other important peacekeeping and coalition partners. Half of all U.N. member nations and half of the current members of the U.N. Security Council are from the area that the Sixth Fleet calls home.

On a social and cultural level, significant numbers of Americans trace their ancestry to Europe and Africa. The unique American characteristic of celebrating cultural diversity and ethnic roots creates a cultural affinity that makes what happens on these continents important to many Americans.

In the last decade, NATO interests have shifted from Central Europe to an arc of instability that surrounds the Sixth Fleet's area of operations. This shift speaks to the importance of maintaining a continued naval forward presence in these regions as many countries are transforming into democracies, free-market economies, and more open societies. For many of these societies, the process has been one of difficult economic and political circumstances. Only through consistent forward presence can the Sixth Fleet hope to influence regional stability and shape outcomes.

This arc of instability extends from the Balkans to the Caucasus, through the Middle East, and back westward across sub-Saharan Africa. It is inhabited by hundreds of millions of politically, economically, and ethnically disenfranchised people, creating multiple friction points. This produces a significant potential for instability, and possibly acts of terrorism, across the Sixth Fleet's entire area of operations.

A Powerful Tool for Maintaining the Peace

Continuous U.S. Navy and Marine engagement is what keeps doors open in this theater. Although its value is difficult to quantify with precision, the Sixth Fleet engagement with Mediterranean and Black Sea nations is a demonstrably powerful tool in countering instability. For example, in the Black Sea, where we once conducted no exercises, we now conduct nine annually. Our military-to-military contacts, exercises, and port visits demonstrate our resolve for peaceful solutions. In this way the Sixth Fleet represents America's commitment to promoting regional stability. By our presence and engagement we show our interest in their future as well as our own.

The Sixth Fleet staff, embarked in the modified Raleigh-class command ship USS La Salle, completed a tour of the Black Sea in August after visits to Novorossiysk, Russia; Sevastopol, Ukraine; Constanta, Romania; and Varna, Bulgaria. In each of these ports, the staff and crew hosted receptions aboard the flagship, made official calls on military and civilian leaders, participated in various community-relations projects, conducted staff talks oriented toward the promotion of bilateral training opportunities, and--most importantly--personally interacted with thousands of citizens ashore. The lasting and extremely positive impact on these nations and local communities cannot be overemphasized.

Sixth Fleet Sailors and Marines dedicated a great deal of their time and energy reaching out to people who are enduring personal and societal hardships as they transform their public and private institutions. These dedicated Americans who serve in our Navy and Marine Corps did a tremendous job of displaying America's spirit of generosity and goodwill to people who need inspiration in this time of transition. Crew members volunteered personal time in every port to work on local community projects. The Sixth Fleet Band provided concerts, instantly connecting with people through the universal language of music.

Crew members also participated in memorial services to honor each nation's previous struggles for freedom.

Democracy Takes Hold

In every Black Sea port visited the staff and crew were received with genuine enthusiasm and sincere appreciation. The skepticism of a decade ago has been replaced with a genuine curiosity about Americans--our devotion to democracy, respect for human dignity and diversity, and unyielding desire for peace and prosperity. These emerging democracies look to America for leadership and earnestly seek more social, political, and economic interaction.

Carefully managing the ebb and flow of fewer deploying forces, the Sixth Fleet spreads this engagement across a diverse area of responsibility. In a recent 12-month period, forward-deployed Sailors and Marines visited 110 ports in 22 countries. Whereas 15 years ago the Sixth Fleet conducted exercises with only nine countries, last year there were 92 exercises with 21 countries.

The Sixth Fleet also responded to emerging contingencies, provided humanitarian assistance in Albania and Turkey, carried out noncombatant evacuations in the Congo, and supported embassy security operations in Tanzania, Albania, and Macedonia.

Even as other regions around the world are increasing in their strategic significance, the importance of the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions will endure long into this century. Democracy has taken hold to replace the oppressive totalitarian forms of the last 50 years. As a world leader, the United States is hopeful that prosperity will come to these fledgling free-market democracies. But all must recognize that this process will take time. The next decade will be a crucial period in history as the forces of instability seek to impede the transformation.

Power for Peace: More Than a Motto

Today, America is uniquely positioned to influence this process through forward presence such as that provided by Sixth Fleet Sailors and Marines. Our leadership, encouragement, and friendship could be decisive. The armed forces in many of these countries, now reorganized and under civilian control, can be leveraged as important stabilizing ele- ments within their societies. Staff talks, combined exercises, and port visits have become increasingly effective tools to foster constructive interaction between the United States and the littoral countries of these important regions.

One of the most enduring lessons of human history is that peace is secured through strength, not weakness. As Donald Kagan noted in On the Origins of War, expenditures for armaments meant to deter are especially difficult to justify in times of relative peace because, if they are successful in deterring, they will never be used. So the urge to seek the preservation of peace by disarmament, withdrawal, and disengagement becomes an attractive fiscal argument. It is imperative for Americans to listen to history, to let it inform the nation's vision, and persuade our citizens to remain engaged and supportive as these regions restructure themselves.

The Sixth Fleet motto is Power for Peace. Today, the dedicated men and women serving at sea and ashore in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions are worthy of their proud heritage. Like the brave Americans of the first Mediterranean Squadron, they possess a sincere desire to remain at peace--but they do not lack the strength, or the will, to act decisively to protect American interests. In America's third century, the Sailors and Marines of the Sixth Fleet continue to demonstrate Jefferson's Passion for Peace, and to maintain the formidable sea power needed to promote and achieve it through peacetime engagement and forward presence.