Navy Expeditionary Combat Command

January 2011 Navy

By Fleet Master Chief Mike Stevens

Throughout the world, the men and women of our great Navy are serving our nation with honor and distinction. No one organization is more important than another and it requires a consolidated effort to carry out the six core capabilities of the maritime strategy. Today I would like to highlight the Sailors of one of those great organizations, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC).

In September of 2005, the U.S. Navy established NECC. NECC is currently led by Rear Admiral Mike Tillotson and Force Master Chief Farris Foresman. Both RADM Tillotson and FORCM Foresman have remarkable records and are able to provide NECC with the leadership necessary to support this most outstanding organization.

The types of units that make up NECC are Naval Construction Force (SEABEES), Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Riverine, Maritime Expeditionary Security Forces (MESF), Navy Expeditionary Intelligence Command (NEIC), Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NELSG), Maritime Civil Affairs & Security Training Command (MCASTC) and Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center (ECRC). The first headlines referred to these Sailors as “Navy Infantry.” What most people did not understand was that most of the units that make up NECC already existed with the exception of NEIC, ECRC and MCASTC.

In order to capture the effectiveness of our ground/brown water forces and to better man, train and equip assigned personnel, it was in the best interest of the Navy to establish a Type Commander (TYCOM) that could meet this new concept; henceforth, NECC was established.

At the initial onset of OEF/OIF, NECC had not yet been established. However, many of the units that now make up NECC were already in the heat of battle. Due to the current war effort, it is easily assumed that NECC forces are solely concentrated in Iraq and Afghanistan, but nothing could be further from the truth. NECC has units and personnel spread throughout the world performing a wide and diverse set of missions. One example is our Seabee Force who are currently supporting and conducting operations in challenging places such as the Horn of Africa and the Philippines. They are also performing humanitarian missions and building partnership relationships with other nations. Riverine units that have successfully completed multiple deployments to Iraq are now gearing up to conduct possible partner nation training and other small boat operations.

The Navy’s relatively small EOD organization, with roughly one thousand technicians assigned, is performing some of the most dangerous missions our military has ever faced by countering rudimentary and sometimes very sophisticated improvised explosive devices (IED). Since the beginning of the war in 2001, NECC has deployed about 3,500 Sailors a year. Many of them have deployed to the war zone four or more times. What allows these amazing Sailors to sustain this astonishing pace for such an extended period of time is the fabric and caliber of the men and women who volunteer for the arduous duties of NECC. They have also established one of the most comprehensive and effective total family support programs in the entire military. The levels of sacrifice and commitment these Sailors and the NECC family have given to our country have been tremendous!

It is my privilege to serve alongside these great men and women. We should never forget what the cost of freedom is and what they are doing to defend our and future generations’ liberties. Our thoughts and prayers are always with our brave Sailors and their families.