Back to sea

Navy Supply Corps Newsletter, Nov-Dec, 2002 by Sean F. Crean

The adrenaline begins to flow the minute the air crewman waves his arms signaling that the carrier on board delivery (COD) aircraft you are strapped into is making its final approach. The plane makes a sudden bank and the added G-forces remind you that maybe you should have passed up that extra value meal for a salad today.

This is how the Senior Officer Observer Team (SOOT) adventure begins. In March of 2001, I received a call from the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT) to see if I could report aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65) in three days for Joint Training Fleet Exercise (JTFEx) 01-02 as a member of the SOOT. The short response time required quick juggling of my civilian workload, family obligations, and personal commitments but it was well worth it.

A JTFEx is designed to prepare U.S. joint forces for future forward-deployed operations. It also serves as the final certification opportunity for a carrier battle group (CVBG) and its amphibious readiness group (ARG).

During JTFEx, the CVBG and ARG integrate all assets as a single cohesive force. The multidimensional, multithreat environment stresses every aspect of naval warfare and incorporates surveillance, maritime superiority, sustainment, and other operations, such as maritime interdiction, embassy-support and noncombatant evacuation. The tool used to evaluate this readiness is the SOOT.

SOOT duty is one of the most exciting and professionally rewarding opportunities available to senior Reserve Supply Corps officers. For most it will be a final opportunity to put to sea with a complete battle group. More importantly, it provides an opportunity to gain seasoned experience in direct support to fleet readiness, the significance of which has become even clearer since 9/11.

Nearly 50 SOOT members operate under the leadership of commander, Carrier Group 4 (CCG4) in coordination with Tactical Training Group Atlantic (TTGL). The composition of the team includes war fighter training professionals from TTGL, destroyer squadron (DESRON) staffs, returning battle group staff, tactical scientists, and analysts from the Washington, D.C.-based think-tank CNA. Of all the participants, the only Reservist is the senior observer for the Sustainment element--a Supply Corps Officer ordered to augment TTGL.

Current carrier battle group staffs do not deploy a supply officer in their N4 department. In addition, due to scheduling conflicts, the supply officer of the returning carrier historically has not been available to augment the SOOT. Consequently, the Reserves offer the best opportunity to provide qualified senior level Supply Corps officers with requisite background experience and professional expertise to compliment the active duty team.

There are 13 elements of a JTFEx observed by the team. A few are Intelligence, Command and Control Warfare (C2W), Air Superiority, Maritime Superiority, Power Projection, Mine Warfare, Theater Ballistic Missile Defense, Special Operations, and Amphibious Operations and Sustainment.

While CINCLANTFLT Instruction 3510 delineates the basic elements within each category to be observed, the criteria for measuring the observations come from the Navy Mission Essential Tasking List (NMETL). In addition, for those areas where NMETLs are not clearly defined, subjective observation based upon operational experience is employed.

Sustainment, a term not even defined in Navy terms by the Webster's dictionary is the ability to support battle group operations over prolonged deployment periods.

There are 10 areas of Sustainment observed during SOOT. Some of these areas are:

* battle group's ability to conduct fuel management and underway replenishments;

* interaction of carrier wing;

* aircraft intermediate maintenance depot and supply departments under simulated, yet stressful deployment conditions;

* material readiness;

* CVBG N4 staff logistics management of organic capability through the Battle Force Intermediate Maintenance Activity (BFIMA) and the Material Control Officer (MATCONOFF) programs; and

* the ability to provide basic fleet services including food service, ship store, laundry, and barber services.

The importance of this last element was never appreciated more than during the recent Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group's record-setting experience of 153 consecutive days at sea.

In the course of a fiscal year, under present operating tempos, there are three Atlantic-based JTFExs requiring SOOT participation. Optimally, an officer chosen for this duty will participate on consecutive teams in order to develop and maintain consistency and proficiency in sustainment observations.

At the conclusion of SOOT experience, not only will an officer feel a great personal sense of accomplishment, but you will take back a renewed sense of how your Reserve unit's mission supports the fleet and the Supply Corps motto of being Ready For Sea!

CAPT Sean Crean recently completed his fourth consecutive Battle Group S. O. O. T aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73).