U.S. 5th Fleet to Start Training in Arabian Gulf

According to U.S. Central Command, exercises, by the U.S. 5^th Fleet, will begin in the Arabian Gulf in November to show the wide range of tasks that the fleet is capable of doing. Tasks such as humanitarian acts and disaster relief will be demonstrated as well.

Going on maneuvers and practicing for possible situations helps military forces to get ready and constantly be prepared for situations that may arise in reality. Since real life situations are usually sudden and unexpected, it is the job of the military to constantly train for any type of event that might come up on a moments notice. These events are not limited to military such as battles, wars, or conflicts, but also include natural disasters and aid to the people of areas that might be affected.

USS Wasp is involved in amphibious, air, and medical exercises in the Arabian Gulf and Commander Task Force 59 is in charge of the operation.

"The scenario is challenging but prepares us for a real-world event," said Cmdr. Jay Chambers, CTF 59 plans officer. "From the table-top discussions, which drew up plans for how our forces will assist, to turning those plans into action, this exercise allowed us to examine the best way to proceed, and to proceed quickly, with providing assistance to any requesting nation."

These practices will help the military to see how well the ships and crew perform during a natural disaster, and they will be able to evaluate and make necessary changes to the process. The training will last for five days, and will show how the fleet does based on its response to a area within 72 hours of it being affected by disaster. There have been many instances where this exercise would have real life meaning such as the tsunami in Indonesia and the volcano eruption in Yemen.

"The purpose of the exercise is to continually improve the 5th Fleet skills in completing complex missions that require capabilities broader than one ship or unit," said Vice Adm. Kevin Cosgriff, Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet.

They will also be evaluating other disasters that would involve the ocean and wildlife more than the public. Such disasters might include oil spills or ships in trouble.