NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN (June 6, 2019) – Tucked away in the corner of the Naval Support Activity Bahrain in a nondescript warehouse is where the dynamic operations center of a forward deployed amphibious headquarters resided – until today.
“Moving into Building 100 was the culmination of hard work and dedication of all involved, including many who have since gone on to new duty assignments elsewhere,” said Lt. Col. John Skutch, Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade’s security manager and officer-in-charge for the unit’s move into its new workspaces. “Our new office space is a radical upgrade to where we were, and I believe it will prove to be an environment well suited for our Marines and Sailors to execute their duties more effectively.”
Commanded by Marine Brig. Gen. Matthew Trollinger, TF 51/5’s integrated Navy and Marine Corps staff work side-by-side to plan, coordinate and execute missions that ensure freedom of navigation for global commerce and support partner nations’ efforts to increase regional stability while providing a force postured to launch crisis response operations anywhere in the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility.
According to Trollinger, TF 51/5 provides a robust, agile and scalable crises response force that is forward deployed, and is capable of executing amphibious operations at sea, from the sea, and ashore in support of both peacetime missions and combat operations.
“Through the end of the Cold War, land-based and sea-based operations were considered adjacent but distinguishable domains of war controlled by primarily naval or ground forces,” said Trollinger. “However, due to the rise of non-state actors combined with the democratization of technology with respect to modern sensors and weapons, the air-land-sea domains have merged into one contiguous and integrated battlespace. In order to face these emerging challenges, we shed our antiquated stove-piped Cold War command and control paradigms and constructs to form a fully integrated Navy and Marine Corps team that possesses the ability to plan, coordinate and execute operations across the span of conflict. TF 51/5 is the product of this continuing evolution in naval integration and I’m proud of the pride, professionalism and drive the Marines and Sailors in this command display every day as we refine the tactics, techniques and procedures required to provide immediate response options to the CENTCOM commander and our National Command Authority.”
Although the TF 51/5 headquarters forms the core of naval integration, its synchronization of rotational subordinate forces provide further examples of effective integration. These forces include Amphibious Ready Groups with embarked Marine Expeditionary Units; Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team Central Command; Security Cooperation Team Jordan; Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Central Command and the Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical System, postured to provide support to units throughout the CENTCOM AOR.
“TF 51/5 provides U.S. Central Command and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command unmatched crisis response, theater security cooperation, and integrated special operations support to foster cooperative military solutions at the operational and tactical levels in the world’s most austere environments,” said Skutch. “Whether leveraging assets from our sister services or from coalition partners, the result is an expansion of our capabilities in support of a single, unified effort and purpose.”
According to Skutch, the aggregation of more than 6,000 sailors and Marines standing ready in strategic positions to provide flexible and adaptable amphibious expeditionary forces is what sets TF 51/5 apart from its forward-deployed counterparts.
“Naval integration means more than simply employing elements from different units,” said Skutch. “The TF 51/5 team possesses the experience and depth to plan and execute operations by synchronizing the strengths of these different units to apply the correct capabilities at the point of friction faster than the enemy can react.”
Since its inception in 2016, TF 51/5 Marines and Sailors continue to support operations Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, Inherent Resolve in Iraq, and ongoing expeditionary operations in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Additionally, the integrated team is positioned to execute embassy reinforcement, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, and non-combatant evacuation operations at a moment’s notice.
“We are committed to countering transregional terrorism, providing security to encourage prosperity in the region, and effectively employing forward, capable and coalition-focused forces across the full spectrum of maritime operations,” said Trollinger. “We’ll continue to actively seek opportunities with our coalition partners to increase regional security and work to prevent conflict within the CENTCOM AOR. Upgraded workspaces in our new headquarters provide us with an environment better suited for integrated operations planning and execution, and which ensures mission accomplishment at sea, from the sea, and ashore.”
For more information, visit www.TF515.marines.mil or www.dvidshub.net/unit/5MEB; or contact the Public Affairs officer, Navy Lt. Tia McMillen at tianichole.mcmillen@me.usmc.mil, 973-1785-8529.