USS Mount Whitney Conducts "Real World" Engagement During Exercise

May 14, 2007 -- USS MOUNT WHITNEY (LCC/JCC 20), at sea — Mauritania Charge d’ Affairs Steve Koustis embarked USS Mount Whitney May 11 meeting with Navy Vice Adm. John “Boomer” Stufflebeem, commander of Joint Forces Maritime Component Command Europe (JFMCC-EUR) while the ship participated in Exercise Flexible Leader 2007.

Flexible Leader ’07 is a joint exercise designed to conduct scenario-based training to increase the joint speed and cohesiveness when standing up a JFMCC in direct support of the Commander Naval Forces Europe-Commander Sixth Fleet (CNE-C6F) strategic priority to respond to any contingency.

In an innovative plan designed to maximize the effectiveness of the exercise training, CNE-C6F leaders are also conducting live “real world” engagements that advance theater security cooperation objectives in Africa. So while the Sixth Fleet Command ship was off the coast of West Africa on its way to a port visit in Senegal, eight members of the Mauritania country team flew via embarked helicopter to spend a few hours aboard. The visit provided Koustis and his country team briefings on CNE-C6F initiatives involving the Global Fleet Station and Automatic Identification System, as well as an update about the ongoing exercise that involves simulated coordination with Department of State officials.

Koustis said he thinks the Navy has an excellent understanding of what the issues and problems are that Mauritania face and is excited about how interagency cooperation between his country team and CNE-C6F can make a difference.

“Mauritania has just completed a democratic transition and it has a new democratically elected government that we hope can be a model for both the Arab world and the African world,” said Koustis. “There is a whole element that the U.S. Navy can be a part of and that’s of course security of the waterways to avoid a whole litany of problems that could come from the seas that could threaten Mauritania and its people.

“The over-arching [U.S. government] policy is to try to help the democratic government succeed and to avoid having people look for other alternatives to have their grievances aired. For us, this is the most important way to avoid extremism in the area and to expand this democracy.”

While onboard, Koustis and his team were treated to a tour of Mount Whitney including information about defense and communication systems, navigational technology, and a damage control demonstration.

“I’d like to thank Admiral Stufflebeem and the crew of the USS Mount Whitney for the opportunity to visit this great ship,” said Koustis. “It’s my first time visiting a ship while at sea and it’s really an exciting time for me and members of my country team. To be able to have a ship off the coast of Mauritania, and from time to time have us come visit you instead of you visit us, I think is really worthwhile for understanding what each other does.”

Mauritania held its first fully democratic election since 1960 on March 11 and is the first time in the country’s history that its leader will have been elected by popular ballot.

Source: EUCOM

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