NEWS | Oct. 31, 2024

Enhancing Domain Awareness in the Arctic

By Tech. Sgt. Donald Hudson, Alaskan NORAD Region/Alaskan Command/11th Air Force 

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, ALASKA, UNITED STATES  –  During Operation POLAR VORTEX, a Naval and Amphibious Liaison Element (NALE) led by U.S. 3rd Fleet and supported by U.S. Fleet Forces was embedded into the bi-national Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Region at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

The NALE is primarily a function of the Navy Reserve, with Reserve personnel filling roughly 98 percent of NALE billets, given the operational tempo of this unique work. NALE Sailors train in mobilization to billet (MOB to-billet) positions and generally deploy on 90 to 270-day orders, responding both to planned operations and emergent crises, including training exercises, freedom of navigation operations, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. MOB-to-billet is the activation (other than for training) of SELRES Sailors to serve in the authorized and funded manpower billet at the command to which they are permanently assigned.

NALE units are attached to U.S. Fleet Forces Command, U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa, and most numbered fleets.

While in Alaska, the NALE worked alongside U.S. Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) members in the 611th Air Operations Center (AOC) to increase domain awareness in the Arctic region during Operation POLAR VORTEX by instantly linking maritime and air domain awareness.

“The situational awareness the NALE has provided is the most maritime awareness the AOC has had in the 14 years I’ve been here,” said Alaska Air National Guard Col. Jeff Smith, deputy commander, 611th AOC. “It’s been great to see the coordinated efforts between air and maritime domains.”

By co-locating, the NALE and 611th AOC were able to coordinate information instantly to the Joint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC) and provide a detailed real-time operating picture from the surface to air across some of the most remote operating areas in Alaska.

The NALE worked to seamlessly integrate their expertise of maritime domain awareness and employ a Navy P-8 Poseidon alongside joint and bi-national air assets. The cooperation increased tactical performance of joint forces validating command and control and tactical execution of mission objectives between various aircraft including exercising simulated air-to-surface strikes.

“The NALE has been essential to air operations,” said RCAF Brig. Gen. David Moar, deputy commander, Alaskan NORAD Region. “They were key in synchronizing air operations with naval air assets and providing information to enable the JFACC to coordinate and support the maritime component.”

3rd Fleet operations in U.S. Northern Command’s (USNORTHCOM) area of responsibility throughout the Gulf of Alaska aligned with Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet objectives to demonstrate resolve and credible deterrence in defense of the homeland in the area. The operations also supported USNORTHCOM and NORAD’s mission of homeland defense, aerospace warning and control, and preserving a stable Arctic region in cooperation with U.S. Allies and partners.

“The NALE is an essential part of integrating the Maritime Operations Center (MOC) and AOC to provide multi-domain awareness to both Component Commanders,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Chris “Turtle” Turl, NALE director. “By coordinating information between each Commander’s guidance, the NALE facilitates the planning and execution of the mission to effectively meet the commander’s intent.”  

NALE Sailors regularly engage in training exercises, freedom of navigation operations, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to enable better integration between joint air assets. The NALE provide the necessary face to-face contact among planner, commanders and staff to ensure mutual understanding, unity of effort and reduce friction between components.

Operating across the vast distances and remote areas in the Arctic comes with many operational hurdles to overcome such as harsh weather and sea conditions causing increased risk to aircrews should an incident occur. Enhancing communication between joint forces is essential to meet the mission while overcoming obstacles and lowering operational risks.

Through joint and bi-national teamwork the NALE and 611th AOC were able to maximize domain awareness and more effectively employ air assets saving time, and costs while reducing risk and increasing efficient use of tactical air assets and manpower.

NEWS | Oct. 7, 2024

Ready on Day One: Training Reserve Sailors for the Fight Ahead

By Lt. j.g. Loren Mullen, NR 7th Fleet Public Affairs

Strategic competition is placing new demands on the Navy Reserve to enhance warfighting readiness and ensure Reserve Sailors are ready on day one to support Fleet commanders at a moment’s notice.

How the Navy Reserve trains to fight what may come in the future is essential to overall readiness at the Operational Level of War (OLW). Standardizing essential training and creating more advanced development opportunities at the OLW has been a primary focus for Capt. Kyle Powers, Navy Reserve OLW Force Design Training Lead. Over the past year, Powers has led the charge in reviewing and developing a curriculum to enable the Navy Reserve to meet the current and future demands of maritime warfare around the globe, with a focus on the Maritime Operations Center (MOC).

“We're looking for ways to review the overall OLW training pipeline,” said Powers. “My job is to lead a dozen or so people who are spearheading new ways that we can handle training, modifications that we can recommend to current curriculum, and how we can get creative with funding when necessary.”

A core focus of the OLW Training team is developing a comprehensive curriculum that addresses the unique needs of Reserve members at the operational level, added Powers. While sailors across the fleets rely on experience gained at the tactical level, Powers noted, “At the operational level of war… you're overseeing a broader set of assets,” and it’s the role of the fleets to both coordinate and bring the assets to bear.

However, while active-duty sailors train daily in a warfighting environment, Reserve training capacity is different – and Reserve members are often dispersed. To sharpen and hone Reserve training, Powers and the OLW Training team developed the Navy Reserve OLW Training Continuum Instruction (COMNAVRESFOR) 3500.1. Powers said the instruction specifically created “a standard but flexible pathway for people to get the training they need” and “recognize the courses that have been taken in a stackable way that still leads to the final training outcome that we're looking for.” As a result, Reserve members will be better prepared and more
proficient for exercises and real-world events.

A recent example is the MAKO training series. In 2021, the Navy Reserve’s Strategic Depth Assessment pointed to a critical need for experienced MOC watchstanders. With Reserve members comprising up to half of the staff at Fleet commands, the Chief of Navy Reserve prioritized MOC training and created a series of MAKO training events. Each event mimics real-world scenarios and gives Reserve members hands-on experience with maritime operations and the MOC.

“MAKO events provide a really big training opportunity,” said Powers. “[Sailors] go out, sit in their watch station in the MOC with a scenario that has been built and products that are pulled from their own fleet so that they're using the actual products that they would use when they're downrange.”

Today, MAKO not only provides practical experience but aligns with OLW training efforts in the classroom. Previously, sailors in a MOC or operational-level maritime staff billet who needed to complete required MOC training would attend a full-time five-week Maritime Staff Operators Course (MSOC) at the Naval War College.

This significant time demand posed a challenge for reservists who also maintained full-time employment in a civilian capacity as well as Reserve unit responsibilities. One of the solutions to increase Reserve sailor access to MOC training while balancing these competing time commitments was the creation of the Maritime Headquarters Staff Course (MHSC) at the Naval War College.

“The MHSC course created a distributed learning opportunity to deliver high quality MOC academics and fundamentals so that people going to a MOC unit would have a clearer understanding of their roles and responsibilities,” said Powers. The three-week course provides OLW practitioners with a foundation in the design and processes of the MOC, allowing sailors to obtain the same academic knowledge while balancing civilian commitments. “The MHSC course was born out of a need to get a broader baseline training to those who operate in the Maritime Operations Centers across the fleets,” he added.

Through a combination of coursework, on-the-job training, and practical exercises such as the MAKO series, OLW training “makes each person within the chain more effective because you know exactly what the goal is,” said Powers. “The Chief of Navy Reserve sent out the order with the release of the Navy Reserve Fighting Instructions. The rapid advancements we have made in how we train across the board at the OLW to increase Reserve capability and remain ‘ready to fight tonight’ with our active-duty counterparts is our response.”

To learn more about the Navy Reserve OLW Training Continuum, please visit https://www.navyreserve.navy.mil/ or refer to COMNAVRESFOR 3500.1.

NEWS | Oct. 21, 2024

Lederer Stresses Critical Role of Reservists, Contested Logistics in Naval Warfare

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Brett Dodge

NEWPORT, R.I.   –  In an era of increasing global tensions and evolving threats, the U.S. Navy faces fresh challenges in maintaining operational readiness and effectiveness. One concept gaining recent attention is ‘contested logistics’ – a term born from logistical struggles that stemmed from the Pacific campaigns during World War II and one that underscores the complexities of sustaining warfighting readiness in potentially hostile environments.
 
Rear Adm. Marc Lederer, Reserve Deputy, Installations and Logistics, N4R, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, stressed the importance of training our Reserve Sailors on logistical practices over the Operational Level of Warfare (OLW) continuum.
 
“Whether we’re resupplying our Sailors at sea, refueling our ships, rearming our ships, repairing our ships in times of conflict, contested logistics is what we do,” said Lederer. “We have to train to sustain the fleet, to ensure we're able to project power in distributed maritime operations environments.”
 
The Red Sea region serves as a prime example of why contested logistics has become a top priority for the Navy. Recent attacks on commercial vessels by Houthi rebels highlighted the vulnerabilities to maritime traffic in this critical waterway. These incidents underscore the potential challenges the Navy could face in sustaining operations in regions where both state and non-state actors can threaten supply lines.
 
“Contested logistics is an important focus across all of our areas of operation, it’s not limited to one specific fleet, one specific time, it’s a continuum,” said Lederer. “Sustainment is a key warfighting function, and contested logistics is integrated into the OLW and everything we do in the Maritime Operation Center (MOC). It allows us to forward deploy in the maritime domain, 24/7 across the globe.”
 
Lederer also emphasized the value real-world training environments play in maintaining the readiness of Naval Reservists, with each series of exercises building upon the next creating numerous opportunities for Reserve Sailors to hone their skills.
 
“Our Reservists play a huge role in the OLW, the MOC, and contested logistics,” said Lederer. “With the Reserve component making up roughly half of our war time fleet staff, there isn’t a fleet you can visit or a command you might go to where you won’t find a Reservist supporting the fight. Exercises are a great opportunity to bring the team together, to allow Reservists and their active counterparts to integrate and train together so we can fight together.”
 
The lessons learned from the current geopolitical landscape and practical, real-world scenario-driven exercises, will undoubtedly shape the future of naval logistics and underscore the importance of the U.S. Navy adapting to a world where supply lines can no longer be taken for granted. According to Lederer, advanced training and exercises like the recently concluded MAKO Global ensure Navy Reserve warfighters are ready to join the fight when called to action.
 
“Contested logistics is key to everything we do at the Operational Level of War, whether it's at the fleet level or down echelon, we are giving our Sailors the ability to train the way we fight and fight the way we train,” said Lederer. “Looking at the CNO’s priorities, warfighting functions in the MOC are key as we go forward and execute across all areas of the globe. We need our Reservists ready on day one to sit at their workstation, plug in, and execute.”
 
According to Lederer, in an increasingly complex global security environment, the Navy's focus on contested logistics represents a critical adaptation to modern warfare realities. By focusing on robust training, the Navy is strengthening our ability to sustain operations in theaters worldwide. This renewed emphasis on logistical readiness is not just a tactical consideration, but a strategic imperative that underpins the Navy’s ability to project power and maintain a forward presence in contested waters. As geopolitical tensions continue to simmer in regions like the Red Sea, the Navy's commitment to mastering contested logistics may well prove to be a decisive factor in future maritime operations and conflicts.
 

NEWS | Jan. 14, 2025

Lt. Kerri Englert: Through the Eye of the Storm

By Lt. Loren Mullen, NR 7th Fleet Public Affairs

LAKELAND, Fla.  –  

“I never set out wanting to fly into storms or chase hurricanes,” said Navy Reserve Lt. Kerri Englert. But speaking from inside an airplane hangar overlooking a dark blue propeller plane adorned with oddly shaped instruments, the leap of faith appears to have paid off. From high school Navy JROTC to serving as a Navy Reserve Meteorology and Oceanography (METOC) officer and now one of a handful of flight directors for the fabled National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hurricane Hunters, Englert has charted her path with an adventurous spirit and a willingness to ask herself: “Why not?”

Englert, originally from Las Vegas, earned a Navy ROTC scholarship and began her career as a naval flight officer. With an early interest in weather, her sights looked to the METOC community, but when the Navy sent her to flight school, she embraced the opportunity. The transition to aviation opened a world of challenges, and she thrived, developing mission-planning expertise and honing tactical coordination skills while flying P-8 Poseidons. A few years later, a pivotal conversation with a fellow officer about NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters reignited her fascination with weather science. “Getting the job to fly into hurricanes seemed impossible and incredible,” she said. “From that moment, I set my sights on making it happen.”

Now, based at NOAA’s Aircraft Operations Center in Lakeland, Florida, Englert literally takes storms head-on. Missions aboard aircraft affectionately named “Kermit” and “Miss Piggy”—modified WP-3D Orions—take her directly into the heart of hurricanes. These propeller-driven planes, equipped with radar, dropsondes, and advanced storm-monitoring instruments, serve as flying weather stations. As a flight director, Englert orchestrates these complex missions, making split-second decisions to steer the aircraft through violent winds and turbulence. “We don’t avoid the storms—we fly straight into them,” she said. “It’s my job to navigate the aircraft safely while ensuring the team collects the data we need.”

Inside the cabin, about 10,000 feet above the ocean, turbulence rattles the plane as howling winds and violent updrafts test the crew’s focus. Englert likens her role as a flight director to a “belly button,” the central connection between pilots, engineers, and scientists. “It’s hectic, but it’s incredibly rewarding,” she said. “You’re combining technical expertise with split-second decision-making, and every move matters.”

In the Navy Reserve, Englert brings the same precision and adaptability to operations in high-stakes environments like the Red Sea and beyond. During a multinational exercise in Chile, she stood as the sole METOC officer, briefing commanders daily on weather conditions across vastly different climates. “One day I was mapping weather for desert conditions; the next, I was analyzing Antarctic-like storms in the south,” she said. “You have to adapt quickly and stay focused on the mission.”

Balancing her NOAA missions and Navy Reserve responsibilities demands constant readiness. Englert works to align her Reserve commitments with the offseason, freeing her to fully focus on hurricane season when storms dominate her schedule. “Storms don’t wait for weekends,” she said with a laugh. “When a hurricane forms, you go—no matter the day.” By staying ahead of her Navy obligations, she ensures she’s always prepared, whether she’s briefing commanders or flying into the heart of a storm.

Englert’s path has been anything but conventional. Leaving active duty to pursue graduate degrees in geospatial and atmospheric sciences meant giving up the security of a steady paycheck to follow her passion. “It was a leap of faith. But every step brought me closer to where I wanted to be,” she said. “If you have a passion, chase it. Roadblocks might turn into opportunities you didn’t expect. My whole career has been built on asking, ‘Why not?’”

With nearly 12 years in the Navy and a relentless drive to push the boundaries of atmospheric science, Englert’s story highlights the unique impact reservists bring to critical missions. Whether briefing naval commanders or flying into the eye of a storm, she proves that daring to say “yes” can lead to extraordinary places. “Every step along the way—aviation, grad school, joining NOAA—helped me find exactly where I’m meant to be,” Englert said. “This is the job I set my sights on 10 years ago, and now I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”

The U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command provides critical information from the ocean depths to the most distant reaches of space, meeting needs in the military, scientific, and civilian communities. To learn more, visit https://www.metoc.navy.mil.

NEWS | Nov. 6, 2024

U.S. Navy Reserve 3rd Fleet Leads NALE at POLAR VORTEX

By Lt. Cmdr. Kristine Volk, U.S. 3rd Fleet Navy Reserve Public Affairs and Tech. Sgt. Donald Hudson, Alaskan NORAD Region Public Affairs 

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, ALASKA, UNITED STATES  –  During Operation POLAR VORTEX, a Naval and Amphibious Liaison Element (NALE) led by U.S. 3rd Fleet and supported by U.S. Fleet Forces was embedded into the bi-national Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Region to manage the integration of naval and air activity at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
 
The NALE is primarily a function of the Navy Reserve, with Reserve personnel filling roughly 98 percent of NALE billets, given the operational tempo of this unique work. NALE Sailors train in mobilization to billet (MOB-to-billet) positions and generally deploy on 90 to 270-day orders, responding both to planned operations and emergent crises, including training exercises, freedom of navigation operations, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to enable better integration between joint air assets. The NALE provides the necessary face-to-face contact among planner, commanders and staff to ensure mutual understanding, unity of effort and reduce friction between components.
 
“U.S. 3rd Fleet Navy Reserve members play a vital role in the NALE and give our fighting forces a competitive advantage by offering critical strategic depth to support the high-end fight,” said Rear Adm. Richard W. Meyer, deputy commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet. “I’m so proud of our Navy Reserve warfighters. They’re our most valuable resource and were essential to our integrated operations in the Northern Pacific. Leveraging their civilian career experience and diverse backgrounds, they added tremendous value to deliver warfighting advantage and expertise to the U.S. Navy, Joint and Combined Force.”
 
U.S. Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) members in the 611th Air Operations Center worked alongside the 3rd Fleet NALE to increase multi-domain awareness in the Arctic region during Operation POLAR VORTEX by instantly linking maritime and air domain awareness.
 
By co-locating while in Alaska, the 3rd Fleet NALE and 611th AOC were able to immediately coordinate information for the Joint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC) and provide a detailed real-time operating picture from the surface to air across some of the most remote operating areas in Alaska.
 
“The NALE has been essential to air operations,” said RCAF Brig. Gen. David Moar, deputy commander, Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command NORAD Region. “They were key in synchronizing air operations with naval air assets and providing information to enable the JFACC to coordinate and support the maritime component.”
 
The NALE worked to seamlessly integrate their expertise of maritime domain awareness and employ a Navy P-8 Poseidon alongside joint and bi-national air assets. The cooperation increased tactical performance of joint forces validating command and control and tactical execution of mission objectives between various aircraft including exercising simulated air-to-surface strikes.
 
“The situational awareness the NALE has provided is the most maritime awareness the AOC has had in the 14 years I’ve been here,” said Alaska Air National Guard Col. Jeff Smith, deputy commander, 611th AOC. “It’s been great to see the coordinated efforts between air and maritime domains.”
 
 
 
U.S. 3rd Fleet operations in U.S. Northern Command’s (USNORTHCOM) area of responsibility throughout the Gulf of Alaska aligned with Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet objectives to demonstrate resolve and credible deterrence in defense of the homeland in the area. The operations also supported USNORTHCOM and NORAD’s mission of homeland defense, aerospace warning and control, and preserving a stable Arctic region in cooperation with U.S. Allies and partners.
 
“The NALE is an essential part of integrating the Maritime Operations Center (MOC) and AOC to provide multi-domain awareness to both Component Commanders,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Chris “Turtle” Turl, NALE director. “By coordinating information between each Commander’s guidance, the NALE facilitates the planning and execution of the mission to effectively meet the commander’s intent.”  
 
Operating across the vast distances and remote areas in the Arctic comes with many operational hurdles to overcome such as harsh weather and sea conditions causing increased risk to aircrews should an incident occur. Enhancing communication between joint forces is essential to meet the mission while overcoming obstacles and lowering operational risks.
 
Through joint and bi-national teamwork the NALE and 611th AOC were able to maximize multi-domain awareness and more effectively employ air assets saving time, and costs while reducing risk and increasing efficient use of tactical air assets and manpower.
 
Highly motivated members of the Navy Reserve are in demand for these challenging roles within the NALE which can either be a career path or stepping-stone to other positions. Successful NALE members have a solid professional knowledge of Navy platforms (subsurface, surface and air). The robust NALE individual training plan mixes formal and informal joint training as well as exercise training scenarios and real-world contingency operations. 
 
“The NALE enterprise is actively seeking officer and enlisted members from the air, intelligence, submarine and surface communities to join our units at the Echelon II and III levels across all areas of responsibility,” added Turl. “Joining the NALE has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me, and I believe it is truly a place where members can reach their full potential within the operational level of war community.”
 
During Fiscal Year 2025, the program expansion has included new units across the fleets due to the demand for these very skilled warfighters and offers unique and exciting opportunities to passionate aviation, subsurface, surface and intelligence experts. NALE units are now attached to U.S. Fleet Forces Command, U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa, and most numbered fleets.
 
Those warfighters looking for their next challenge to support the high-end fight and help better integrate our joint and coalition partners should select the NALE as a first choice during their next MyNavyAssignment, JOAPPLY and APPLY application period and reach out to those unit point of contacts with any questions.