Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Executive Director Nancy Harned visited leadership assigned to NECC Pacific and Navy Expeditionary Combat Forces stationed in Hawaii, Guam, and Okinawa, Japan, June 9-17.

"During my recent visit with expeditionary forces assigned to Pacific Fleet area of operations, I appreciated the opportunity of meeting with Sailors charged with carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Navy expeditionary combat forces," said Harned. "Our forces assigned in the Pacific theater of operations are committed to delivering combat ready forces for tasking, and part of my role in visiting with them is to ensure they have everything they need to accomplish that mission."

Harned also met with Capt. Marc Delao, Civil Engineer Corps, who recently assumed the chief of staff position at Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Pacific (NECCPAC), located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on the island of Oahu.

"Ms. Harned's visit to NECCPAC was critical to ensuring full alignment and unity of effort across the global Navy Expeditionary Force," said Delao. "As executive director for NECC and NECCPAC, her strategic insights, visionary perspective, and timely feedback to the staff on both the business and operational aspects of the NEF will help us better support the fleet commander, and more effectively achieve the Navy's Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority."

NECCPAC serves as the Navy's Pacific Expeditionary Type Commander (TYCOM) for naval construction forces, explosive ordnance disposal, mobile diving and salvage, and Coastal Riverine Forces that provide vital organizational, manning, training, equippage, and sustenance support to Navy expeditionary combat forces homeported in the 3rd and 7th Fleet areas of operations.

During her visit with NECCPAC, Harned met with Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 5, Coastal Riverine Group 1 Detachment Guam, and Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 133.

Capt. Erich Diehl, commander, Task Force 75 discussed the milestones CTF 75 has accomplished in the past year since its establishment Jan. 9, 2015.

"The executive director's engagement with CTF 75 and the 1,300 Sailors who comprise 7th Fleet's Navy Expeditionary Force was key to her better understanding of the strategic environment in the region, NEF's impact to theater commander's objectives, and the resources required to delivering CNO's (Chief of Naval Operations') imperative for maintaining maritime superiority," said Diehl. "During her visit, ED discussed several new initiatives that leverage the diversity and genius of our force and pivot critical NECC capabilities to the Pacific."

Diehl further discussed the capabilities of NECC, to include the Coastal Riverine Force MK VI patrol boat, and Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures and Rapid Material Analysis Cell Pacific, that deliver unique expeditionary capabilities essential to protecting and defending our national security interests.

CTF 75 serves as the core Navy Expeditionary Force battle staff for crisis response and major combat operations by promoting security, stability and innovative warfighting capabilities to support missions in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

Harned's visit to Guam comes prior to the arrival of MK VI patrol boats, which are scheduled to arrive in late August. The MK VI patrol boat will offer Coastal Riverine Group 1 Detachment Guam a variety of mission sets, from coastal patrol to mine countermeasures to theater security cooperation, enabling operators to provide their critical security know-how and force protection worldwide.

In September 2015, Coastal Riverine Group 2 accepted the first two of 12 MK VI patrol boats. In March, Commander, Task Force 56, based in Bahrain, received two Mark VI patrol boats.

Harned ended her visit to the Pacific Fleet by visiting with Sailors assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4, which is currently deployed to Okinawa, Japan.

NECC is an enduring warfighting force providing sea-to-shore and inland operating environment capabilities across the full range of military operations that is focused on delivering combat effective expeditionary forces ready for worldwide operations now and into the future.

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