Teamwork, flexibility, & sustained combat power: Interview with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Vern Clark

Sea Power,  Oct 2002  by Peterson, Gordon I

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INTERVIEW

Adm. Vern Clark assumed duty as chief of naval operations on 21 July 2000. From the beginning of his tour he has focused on five top priorities-manpower, current readiness, future readiness, quality of service, and alignment. With personnel retention and operational readiness rates now reaching their highest levels in many years, Clark said he will maintain a "laser focus" on recapitalization during the year ahead to avoid placing the Navy's future readiness at risk. Clark also introduced a new Navy operational vision earlier this year, Sea Power 21, to serve as the foundation for current and future Navy policies, programs, and operations. Major changes in the way the Navy trains and educates its Sailors are expected to continue during his time at the helm-as will Clark's emphasis on using fleet battle experiments to move the Navy faster along the path of transformation.

Interview With Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Vern Clark

Senior Editor Gordon L Peterson interviewed Admiral Clark for this issue of Sea Power.

Sea Power: Admiral, so much has transpired in the Navy during the past year-with the events associated with 9/11 certainly at the forefront. How would you assess the Navy-Marine Corps team's performance fighting the war on terrorism?

CLARK: Their performance has been fantastic since the very first day of operations. The NavyMarine Corps team has demonstrated a tremend ous ability to sustain combat power forward. One of the things that many people do not realize is that the optempo [operational tempo] picked up at a marked rate during the early weeks of combat last autumn. At one point we had four carrier battle groups-one third of the entire Navy's centerpiece-on station after we surged them to the Arabian Sea. They have not missed a lick. Their readiness numbers are far above our normal rates.

You cannot look back at the past year without appreciating the success of the extended combat reach of our naval forces. Marines off the ARG [amphibious ready group] deployed 500 miles inland. Our carrier- and land-based aircraft conducted combat missions reaching out 700 to 1,000 miles-- and they stayed on station for two to four hours. This was phenomenal. The teamwork-not just between Navy and Marine forces but their interplay with the joint coalition-was truly impressive. As I have said many times, we could not have done it without the Air Force.

We also formed an incredible coalition. At one time we had more than 100 U.S. Navy and coalition ships on station. Many are still there today in support of the war on terrorism. This tells you something about the international domain. When nations are called upon to contribute to military operations, they oftentimes do so with their navy-for the same reason that we do. Navies can get there! A navy can operate at sea without the need to bed down ashore. A navy's sovereignty on the world's oceans avoids raising other political issues.

In Afghanistan, we displayed great flexibility in developing and executing plans for operations conducted at extended range with persistent combat power. There was great flexibility demonstrated by the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk when she was called into action to serve as an afloat forward-staging base for Special Operations Forces. Clearly, looking back on operations in Afghanistan, we recognize the important role of Special Operations Forces. I am very proud of the work of U.S. Navy SEALs [Sea, Air, Land]. We don't discuss their secretive work very often, but their performance has been brilliant.

Marines and Seabees also deployed approximately 500 miles inland to Afghanistan. What a wonderful achievement.

I also should note the increased force-protection measures in place around the globe today, including the work of our Navy coastal-warfare people, and the important contributions of the Naval Reserve in surging the support forward that we required to execute operations during the past year. It has been phenomenal.

We have forged an even stronger partnership with the Coast Guard fighting the war on terrorism. Our coastal patrol ships [PCs] have done a wonderful job on the point since we cancelled their deployments and redirected them to major U.S. ports. They are operating day-in and day-out with the Coast Guard and doing great work.

I could not be more pleased with the way everything has come together and the way our people have been able to execute and produce results. I have become a great believer in the importance of output-a product. The Navy-Marine Corps team has produced the right type of output for the nation-- credible, persistent combat power.

You have had many occasions to speak with Sailors and Marines on station at sea and ashore during this war. What do they tell you?

CLARK: I can tell you that they respond to their duties with a sense of pride-pride in their ability to serve the nation. Our profession is built around the fact that we are people who believe in service. When I talk to our young people on the point, they are proud of their service and what they are doing. They have a sense of purpose. At every stop during my trip to the Indian Ocean they asked me how long they would be there. I told them that I would do my best to hold them to a six-month deployment-but that I would not blink twice to extend them if it would make a difference in the global war on terrorism. That's all they wanted to know. Our fellow citizens can be justifiably proud of the men and women who are wearing the cloth of the nation as Sailors in the United States Navy. They are magnificent!