U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command
Encyclopedia
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (also known as USNAVSO) is the naval element of United States Southern Command
(USSOUTHCOM). Its areas of operation include South America
, Central America
, the Caribbean
and surrounding waters. Its headquarters are located at Naval Station Mayport
, Florida
. USNAVSO is currently under the command of Rear Admiral Victor G. Guillory.
USNAVO's strategy focuses primarily upon cooperation with other nations and includes multi-national exercises, port visits, humanitarian missions, disaster relief, and counter-drug operations. USNAVO is also involved in the annual UNITAS
deployment in South America.
Gary Roughead
, the Chief of Naval Operations
, announced that the United States Fourth Fleet would be re-established, effective July 1, with responsibility for U.S. Navy ships, aircraft and submarines operating in the Caribbean Sea, as well as Central and South America. Rear Admiral
Joseph D. Kernan
was named Commander, Fourth Fleet and Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command.
. USNAVSO consolidated the Navy's Commander, Western Hemisphere Group formerly at Mayport, Florida, and the Commander, South Atlantic Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet
(COMSOLANT). The headquarters was moved to Naval Station Mayport
, Florida
in 2004.
COMUSNAVSO was built around the core of COMSOLANT, that was established on June 1, 1958 with headquarters in Trinidad and Tobago
(Chaguaramas, Trinidad). When the Naval Station in Trinidad was closed in 1967, COMSOLANT moved to Naval Station San Juan, Puerto Rico. With the closure of all naval activities in San Juan, COMSOLANT was moved to Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico on December 1973. COMSOLANT had participated in annual "UNITAS" deployments around South America since 1960, and routinely deployed to Africa for the West African Training Cruise since 1980.
United States Southern Command
The United States Southern Command , located in Miami, Florida, is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands in the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for providing contingency planning and operations in Central and South America, the Caribbean The United States Southern Command...
(USSOUTHCOM). Its areas of operation include South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and surrounding waters. Its headquarters are located at Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport is a major United States Navy base in Jacksonville, Florida. It contains a military airfield with one asphalt paved runway measuring 8,001 x 200 ft. ....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. USNAVSO is currently under the command of Rear Admiral Victor G. Guillory.
Mission
USNAVSO directs all U.S. naval forces in its Area of Responsibility. It also coordinates with partner nations to shape the maritime environment. USNAVSO works to strengthen and build effective alliance and friendships, develop partner nation capabilities, and maintain U.S. operational access to defend the United States.USNAVO's strategy focuses primarily upon cooperation with other nations and includes multi-national exercises, port visits, humanitarian missions, disaster relief, and counter-drug operations. USNAVO is also involved in the annual UNITAS
UNITAS
UNITAS are sea exercises and in port training involving several countries in North, South and Central America, conducted by the USA since 1959 in support of the U.S. policy.-External links:* * - Globalsecurity.org...
deployment in South America.
U.S. Fourth Fleet
On April 24, 2008, AdmiralAdmiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
Gary Roughead
Gary Roughead
Gary Roughead is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral who last served as the 29th Chief of Naval Operations from September 29, 2007 to September 22, 2011. He previously served as Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, from May 17, 2007, to September 29, 2007. Prior to that he served as...
, the Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
, announced that the United States Fourth Fleet would be re-established, effective July 1, with responsibility for U.S. Navy ships, aircraft and submarines operating in the Caribbean Sea, as well as Central and South America. Rear Admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
Joseph D. Kernan
Joseph D. Kernan
Joseph D. "Joe" Kernan is a United States Navy vice admiral. He serves as the Military Deputy Commander of U.S. Southern Command , Miami, Florida. He assumed his current assignment on May 23, 2011.He is second-in-command of one of ten unified commands under the Department of Defense...
was named Commander, Fourth Fleet and Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command.
History
The US Naval Forces Southern Command was established on February 18, 2000 with its headquarters Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. USNAVSO consolidated the Navy's Commander, Western Hemisphere Group formerly at Mayport, Florida, and the Commander, South Atlantic Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet
U.S. Atlantic Fleet
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
(COMSOLANT). The headquarters was moved to Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport is a major United States Navy base in Jacksonville, Florida. It contains a military airfield with one asphalt paved runway measuring 8,001 x 200 ft. ....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in 2004.
COMUSNAVSO was built around the core of COMSOLANT, that was established on June 1, 1958 with headquarters in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
(Chaguaramas, Trinidad). When the Naval Station in Trinidad was closed in 1967, COMSOLANT moved to Naval Station San Juan, Puerto Rico. With the closure of all naval activities in San Juan, COMSOLANT was moved to Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico on December 1973. COMSOLANT had participated in annual "UNITAS" deployments around South America since 1960, and routinely deployed to Africa for the West African Training Cruise since 1980.
External links
- Commander, USNAVSO official website
- USNAVSO page at GlobalSecurity