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. *
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