Just four months after establishing a maritime civil affairs unit (MCAU) at Combined Joint Task Force–Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) at Camp Lemonier (Djibouti), the unit has fully integrated with the staff and is serving as the command and control element for three MCA teams deployed to HOA.
"With MCAU-HOA, the unique demands of operating in littoral areas can be addressed by those who specialize in those areas," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. David Warshaw, deputy director of civil-military operations for CJTF-HOA. "These Sailors are able to very succinctly communicate what they can and cannot do and were able to quickly integrate into a demanding planning and executing cycle in CJTF-HOA."
The MCAU is comprised of three MCA Sailors who support civil-military operations mission planning and facilitate the information flow between the deployed MCA teams and the task force. Additionally, the MCAU serves as the administrative and logistics support node for the MCA teams.
"The MCAU provides the units a familiar face – someone they have worked with during the training cycle and someone who understands what is required to make their deployment more effective," said Lt. Stuart Ferguson, officer in charge of the MCAU.
In addition to the daily support, the MCAU provides the task force and deployed MCA teams a unit serving as the command and control element of forces ashore. This is seen as a major step forward in the maturing process of the 2-year-old MCA Group.
"You can't put a price tag on how much maritime civil affairs is getting out of this," said U.S. Army Col. William Hollingsworth, CJTF-HOA's director of civil-military operations. "What it's going to allow them to have is a core group of individuals with deployment experience working as a MCAU and who have the ability to teach and train other leaders. I see that as a big step for maritime civil affairs."
The operational experience is also beneficial for the Sailors assigned to the MCAU.
"I'm gaining an appreciation of how a joint staff works," said Electronics Technician 1st Class (EXW/SW) Daniel Altobelli, MCAU assistant officer in charge.
"This experience will also prepare me for when I'm deployed as part of a maritime civil affairs team."
Before assuming command and control responsibilities over the assigned MCA teams, CJTF-HOA partnered the MCAU with the Army civil affairs company commanders who previously commanded the MCA teams. This mentorship and turnover phase provided a smooth transfer of command and control responsibilities and provided Army and Navy civil affairs personnel an opportunity to work closely with each other.
"I have found these Sailors to be smart, resourceful and motivated," said Warshaw. "What impresses me the most is how well prepared each individual is for the mission. They have mastered the art of the area study and came into the theater having done their homework on the intricacies of the areas of operation in which they work."
Maritime civil affairs is part of the Navy's effort to use smart power, the balance of conventional and irregular forces, to extend regional and maritime security to the civilian populace. The Maritime Civil Affairs Group has a MCAU and three MCA teams deployed in support of CJTF-HOA.
The MCAU and teams are deployed to help build lasting relationships with African partners and conduct civil affairs activities in support of the CJTF-HOA mission. Through a strategy of cooperative conflict prevention, CJTF-HOA helps build the internal capacities of East African countries in order to prevail against extremists exploiting instability.
Jon McMillan (NNS)
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