Third Carrier to North Korea
170403-N-NI812-226
PACIFIC OCEAN (April 3, 2017) Ships assigned to the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group participate in a strait transit exercise in the Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Ian Kinkead/Released)
The US is sending a third carrier strike force to the Western Pacific, in what is seen as an unusual show of force. USS Nimitz will join two other super-carriers, USS Carl Vinson and USS Ronald Reagan, already in the area. While the Navy hasn’t explicitly stated Nimitz is intended for operations around the Korean peninsula, but has said the carrier group is mobilized for the North Pacific and Middle East.
“I am so incredibly proud of the entire Nimitz team and the terrific coordination and support across the entire strike group, especially in such a condensed training cycle. The crew stepped up to the plate, and I’m confident we’re ready to meet whatever challenges lie ahead on our upcoming deployment,” said Captain Kevin Lenox, commanding officer of Nimitz.
Nimitz is accompanied with guided missile cruisers and destroyers.
Category: Politics
Some might say “New Sheriff”. I say we finally got a Sheriff after 8 years of the position being vacant.
Nice one.
Was there ever anything the previous Sheriff touched that didn’t turn to shit?
Man! It’s going to be standing room only in the Sea of Japan!
It sounds like one could cross the Sea of Japan merely by jumping from Vessel to Vessel on a pogo stick!
Question for you Navy guys. Does each Carrier Strike Group have an Admiral in overall command? And when they say the Captain of the Nimitz, is he a Captain in rank or could he be higher and they are using the term as they do for the skipper of any ship?
Short answer, yes, an Admiral and staff are in overall charge of the Strike Group. The ship’s Captain on Nimitz (Or any Capitol Ship) is an O-6 Navy four-striper.
http://www.nimitz.navy.mil/csg_11.html
Sparks: The commanding officer (CO) of any U.S. Navy ship is customarily referred to as Captain even if rank is less than that of a Captain (0-6). Rehash of what AW1Ed says.
Stolen from Google:
“In the United States Navy, commanding officer is the official title of the commander of a ship, but he or she is usually referred to as “the Captain” regardless of his or her actual rank: “Any naval officer who commands a ship is addressed by naval custom as “captain” while aboard in command, regardless of their actual …”
Thank you both for the clarification and information. I can’t imagine the responsibilities of the Captain of the Nimitz or any such carrier. Especially with an Admiral somewhere close by. They must maintain good relations I would think.
Freakin’ Navy. Captains aren’t necessarily captains and a commander’s subordinate may be in command. Makes my head do a cartoon twisty.
A Group Surgeon or Flight Surgeon in the Army isn’t a surgeon…all services have their strangeness
I never heard of a Group Surgeon. A Flight Surgeon is an M.D. who may perform surgery.
Nope. A flight Surgeon is a title. He can’t perform any surgery beyond the basic surgeries any other M.D. that has not had a surgical residency.
Flight Surgeon, Group Surgeon, Batalion Surgeon, Division Surgeon, MEF Surgeon etc are all titles…none of them are occupied by a Physician with Surgical Residency.
I was kidding in my first comment but you took some umbrage. Now we get to play, I guess. One who performs surgery is a surgeon. Since you acknowledge that flight surgeons do perform surgery, you must agree that a flight surgeon is a surgeon. An M.D. who meets the requirements for certification or licensure as a surgeon is a certified or licensed surgeon. A flight surgeon may or may not be a certified or licensed surgeon. As for Group Surgeon, you say it’s a title. Is it a secret title? I can’t find it anywhere listed.
I understand your ignorance, but certainly after that don’t feel compelled to dispel it any further.
Group Surgeon is the title of the Physician that serves the SF Group
also not Physician trained in surgery^^^^^
Group Surgeon…also MARSPEAK for the Physician in charge of all things medical at an FSSG…suregeon being just a title
As I recall, the British use a similar non-surgical Surgeon terminology in the position of “Police Surgeon”.
And remembering that…..I dimly remember watching a program by that name when I was a child, and initially being confused by the lack of OR scenes.
Think of it this way, Sparks. The Admiral and staff plan the missions the Strike Group will carry out. The Nimitz’s CO carries out the day-to-day operation of his ship. The guided missile cruisers and destroyers are really a defensive screen for the carrier. Not mentioned in the article is the fact there is usually a US nuclear fast attack submarine attached to the group as well.
IME on Navy carriers the following are Captain (O-6) Billets
1. The Commanding Officer (Ship’s Captain)
2. The Senior Medical Officer(SMO)
3. The Air Boss
4. The Chief Engineer(CHENG)
COMCARGRU is a Rear Admiral and will also have other high ranking Officers on staff at least 2 more O-6s.
for sake of truth truth I used the plural “carriers”, but I was only ship’s company on one…visited a couple others over the years. Most of my at sea time was riding various gator freighters wearing green or brown.
Outstanding.
Three Carrier Strike Groups standing by to bring ‘The Good News’ to Norki Round Boy.
Get some, Navy.
When you care enough to send the very best, why not send three?
A picture of all three under way in the same frame would be pretty cool.
For you ground pounders a Navy Captain is equivalent to a Bird Colonel. Just to muddy the water a Navy Lieutenant is equivalent to a Captain in other branches. There will be a written exam tomorrow.
PS
A senior Navy Captain could in some circumstances be a Commodore.
Yeah, the CATF in Beirut with 22d MAU was a Captain addressed as Commodore. I think they did away with Commodore though in 85/86 and went to Rear Admiral Lower Half
I thought it was funny, because I remember a Navy Times article saying one of the things that was found to be a negative about the title Commodore was that it sounded like “Commode Door”
Yeah, cause being a Rear Admiral’s lower half is so much better. lol
chooee lee, I prefer the term “Nautically Challenged” but whatever floats yer boat.
*grin*
Do the Norkies have ANY Combat Aircraft other than tired old worn out leftovers from the former USSR?
Not really
http://www.easternorbat.com/html/north_korea_s_air_force_eng.html
They have a squadron of MiG-29 Fulcrums. In a shooting war, they won’t have them for long.
The three carriers are gathering together for a joint exercise to scare/impress Li’l Kim the Supreme Cheesesampler, and to run some anti-ICBM exercises in that area.
He shot off another load yesterday, so this should upset him a little.
I am concerned that he might try to strike Seoul but he’s also aiming his toys at Japan’s northern island and his toys have the range to get there.
Lets hope NDtBF doesn’t get more delusional and try a ROKS Cheonan-style stunt. That would be very bad…