Twenty-five naval officers from eight partner nations recently completed the first-ever U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/ U.S. 4th Fleet (USNAVSO/4THFLT) Maritime Planning Symposium at the Peruvian Naval War College in Callao, Peru, in mid-November 2023.
Supported by the College of Operational Warfare – International Maritime Staff Officer Course at the U.S. Naval War College, professors Sean Carroll and Raymond Tortorelli and USNAVSO/4THFLT planners led this inaugural maritime planning symposium in Peru to introduce and work through the Military Decision Making Process – Multinational. Navies from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay sent junior officers to participate in the seminar.
“In the U.S. Navy, we get many reps and sets in maritime planning early on in our careers,” said U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Cassie Redner, USNAVSO/4THFLT Maritime Operations Center (MOC) training officer. “This symposium gives an opportunity for partner nations’ naval junior officers to get some experience with the Military Decision Making Process – Multinational by working through a scenario so that when they participate in operations and exercises they have already spent time working together and learning together. This effort seeks to increase proficiency and improve interoperability earlier in the officers’ careers.”
Professors Carroll and Tortorelli led symposium participants through a UNITAS-like scenario and worked through the steps of the Military Decision Making Process – Multinational. The planning process helps staff members conduct essential planning in support of missions that naval forces execute at sea.
“We intend to make this an annual symposium, offering our partner navies an opportunity to host,” said U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Jim Aiken, USNAVSO/4THFLT commander. “Our desire is to have a continuum to build a cadre of partner nations’ naval officers who understand and are able to execute maritime planning for exercises and operations. This is our latest step in that effort, and we thank the Peruvian Naval War College for hosting this first symposium.”