An interview with rear admiral Mark P. Fitzgerald, USN former Commander, Carrier Group 8

Navy Supply Corps Newsletter, Jan-Feb, 2003 by Ken Epps

LCDR Epps: Where were you deployed?

RADM Fitzgerald: We deployed on 9/19, a week after 9/11, without any orders and headed over to the Mediterranean. We were stationed off of Egypt for an exercise. Then after the first bombs were dropped, we were ordered over and arrived off the coast of Pakistan and stayed there from 18 October until the 2nd of March, returning home on the 27th of March.

LCDR Epps: How did the timing of your deployment (right after 9/11) impact the tenor of your deployment preps and the actual deployment itself?.

RADM Fitzgerald: It was interesting. We had gone through a whole set of normal workups for our scheduled 19 September deployment so we were ready. But of course, 9/11 happened and that changed a lot of what we were thinking. First, we had to sortie a number of ships from the BG [Battle Group] to New York and off the coast of Norfolk ... then get them back in and one of those was the USS Detroit, which was our AOE [fast combat support ship]. We had to get her back in after supporting the sortied ships and prep her to get us back out for our trip. So there were obviously some huge logistical challenges ... really, the logistics were humongous ... it was tremendous, but I tell you what ... everyone left with everything we needed ... things just went great.

LCDR Epps: How well did the supply system support your operational objectives ?

RADM Fitzgerald: I thought the supply system did terrifically. We were supposed to crossdeck a number of items from the Enterprise BG; and a number of the items just didn't exist. In particular, we had to get a number of precision weapons ... a number of them had to come from the Air Force ... and all that had to be put together and brought out to us. We had very little time to plan the logistics. We had only two days' worth of bombs on board when we arrived so it was a monumental feat to get loaded out with all the things that we needed. It all came together beautifully ... truly what I call "Just In Time" logistics.

LCDR Epps: From your perspective, were there unique challenges during this deployment that were not adequately supported?

RADM Fitzgerald: It was a hugely complicated logistics process ... we had incredible challenges. We had 102 ships from 12 different countries out there ... we had to not only handle logistics for our own ships but for the other ships that were also under my command. It put a huge stress on the entire logistics chain. We had our own suppliers, but we had to make sure the other folks were fed and taken care of We also had CTF-53, which is set up to handle a U.S. battle force.

Although we weren't directly responsible for the other ships' logistics, we had to make sure they got their stuff and so they were pressed to the hilt. We had to work with them and make sure that all the right stuff was getting to the right ships and that there was an order to how we did all this. This was a truly unique situation, as you can imagine. It was just a hugely complicated endeavor. The logisticians on shore had to work with my folks at sea ... and we were able to handle everything and complete our mission successfully. So no, there were no logistical issues that we could not handle.

LCDR Epps: You were at sea for 159 straight days, yet the morale of the crew was kept at an unusually high level. What do you attribute that to?

RADM Fitzgerald: Well, I'd like to say it was leadership [laughs] ... but you have to say it was the unique circumstances. Everyone was touched by 9/11 in some way and so there was a unique sense of purpose there.

When we got there, Afghanistan was still in the hands of the Taliban, and we were able to see gains being made there on a daily basis. We could see how it was attributable to what we were doing on the ship so it was hugely inspiring. Second, we had to go through a number of holidays ... Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines, and so all those things, the mail from home, the great holiday meals, really kept our spirits up.

Finally, a lot of people were behind us and a lot of visitors came out to see us just to say thanks--the USO, congressional delegations, corporations sent out care packages--so we all felt the support from the folks back home and that really energized the way we conducted business and kept our spirits up.

LCDR Epps: Looking back on your career, what value do see the Supply Corps adds to the Navy's mission?

RADM Fitzgerald: You know, if you had asked me that when I was a JO [junior officer], I would have said everyone should spend some time in the logistics world, and there wasn't any need for officers specifically trained in supply issues ... but that was because [as a JO] you don't see what happens. However, when you start getting to the senior levels ... there's a famous Army quote that goes something like " ... logistics is for professionals" ... or something like that ... and you start to see how important it is to have professionals running the supply systems, particularly these days when you're trying to do smart logistics and doing just-in-time processes ... you need a certain amount of talent and skill that I don't think you can just develop in our line officers. So yes, I do believe that the way our Supply Corps operates is the best, most sound way to operate.