thedrifter
05-01-03, 11:22 AM
Article ran : 05/01/2003
Lejeune range gunfire could begin offshore next week
By ERIC STEINKOPFF
DAILY NEWS STAFF
As an era of naval exercises ends on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, another era will start soon at Camp Lejeune. Naval gunfire at Lejeune-based ranges could begin offshore as early as next week, said Navy Lt. Fred Kuebler, a spokesman for the 2nd Fleet. The exact schedule for the type of firing done at Vieques, which has now shifted to Camp Lejeune, has not been finalized.
But military officials said the first ship to take part in Lejeune-based firing could be the USS Cole. The ship, which was the target of a terrorist attack 2 ??ars ago in Yemen, was in Florida over the weekend. Its crew could use the 5-inch naval guns to fire into Camp Lejeune’s G-10 impact range, Kuebler said.
“They are in their intermediate deployment training cycle that the ship goes through prior to deployment,” Kuebler said. “They will be working with the Marines.”
Camp Lejeune spokeswoman 2nd Lt. Kate Vandenbossche said an unknown number of artillery spotters from Camp Lejeune’s 10th Marine Regiment will also be taking part in any exercise. They would likely calling back to the ship to tell them what corrections need to be made.
Lejeune is expected to be a frequent stop for Navy ships in the future. There are 30 destroyers and 14 cruisers with 5-inch guns in the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet inventory based in Norfolk, Va. Such training would take place about 30 times a year — or roughly two to three times a month — with each session consisting of one actual day of gunfire and another day scheduled if needed, officials said.
Last July, Camp Lejeune was approved by the Navy as the site for offshore naval gunfire training as a result of a study that found no potential significant impact of firing on Onslow County areas near the target sites like Hubert. Lejeune commander Maj. Gen. David M. Mize signed a finding of no significant impact document on July 24.
The move was made following the April 2002 release of results from an environmental assessment conducted at Lejeune. It found that the base is the best place for the offshore firing and that it would pose no noise problems, despite objections by some civilian neighbors.
According to the study, Lejeune is a prime site because it already has training areas for explosive ordnance, and Marine and naval gunfire teams are already stationed there.
Officials said this is the second of three levels of training for the USS Cole. A basic phase to hone the skills of the crew, an intermediate phase that includes naval gunfire and antisubmarine warfare and a graduate level phase working with their entire battle group to intercept other ships at sea and clear mines in their patch.
The USS Cole was commissioned July 4, 1991 and is part of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier battle group.
“Later this summer they will practice with the Enterprise battle group up and down the coast,” Kuebler said.
Near the end of the graduate training phase, the battle group is normally involved in a joint task force exercise that typically includes members of the Army, Air Force and at least one Marine expeditionary unit on three amphibious assault ships. The event is often timed with a special operations capable exercise that would likely be the final predeployment exam for Camp Lejeune’s 22nd MEU.
Military officials, however, cautioned that not all training gunfire will impact Camp Lejeune. Other options, including a computer system known as a Virtual At-Sea Trainer, will also be used.
“The VAST uses computer technology to simulate terrain,” Kuebler said.
Contact Eric Steinkopff at esteinkopff@jdnews.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 236
Sempers,
Roger
Lejeune range gunfire could begin offshore next week
By ERIC STEINKOPFF
DAILY NEWS STAFF
As an era of naval exercises ends on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, another era will start soon at Camp Lejeune. Naval gunfire at Lejeune-based ranges could begin offshore as early as next week, said Navy Lt. Fred Kuebler, a spokesman for the 2nd Fleet. The exact schedule for the type of firing done at Vieques, which has now shifted to Camp Lejeune, has not been finalized.
But military officials said the first ship to take part in Lejeune-based firing could be the USS Cole. The ship, which was the target of a terrorist attack 2 ??ars ago in Yemen, was in Florida over the weekend. Its crew could use the 5-inch naval guns to fire into Camp Lejeune’s G-10 impact range, Kuebler said.
“They are in their intermediate deployment training cycle that the ship goes through prior to deployment,” Kuebler said. “They will be working with the Marines.”
Camp Lejeune spokeswoman 2nd Lt. Kate Vandenbossche said an unknown number of artillery spotters from Camp Lejeune’s 10th Marine Regiment will also be taking part in any exercise. They would likely calling back to the ship to tell them what corrections need to be made.
Lejeune is expected to be a frequent stop for Navy ships in the future. There are 30 destroyers and 14 cruisers with 5-inch guns in the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet inventory based in Norfolk, Va. Such training would take place about 30 times a year — or roughly two to three times a month — with each session consisting of one actual day of gunfire and another day scheduled if needed, officials said.
Last July, Camp Lejeune was approved by the Navy as the site for offshore naval gunfire training as a result of a study that found no potential significant impact of firing on Onslow County areas near the target sites like Hubert. Lejeune commander Maj. Gen. David M. Mize signed a finding of no significant impact document on July 24.
The move was made following the April 2002 release of results from an environmental assessment conducted at Lejeune. It found that the base is the best place for the offshore firing and that it would pose no noise problems, despite objections by some civilian neighbors.
According to the study, Lejeune is a prime site because it already has training areas for explosive ordnance, and Marine and naval gunfire teams are already stationed there.
Officials said this is the second of three levels of training for the USS Cole. A basic phase to hone the skills of the crew, an intermediate phase that includes naval gunfire and antisubmarine warfare and a graduate level phase working with their entire battle group to intercept other ships at sea and clear mines in their patch.
The USS Cole was commissioned July 4, 1991 and is part of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier battle group.
“Later this summer they will practice with the Enterprise battle group up and down the coast,” Kuebler said.
Near the end of the graduate training phase, the battle group is normally involved in a joint task force exercise that typically includes members of the Army, Air Force and at least one Marine expeditionary unit on three amphibious assault ships. The event is often timed with a special operations capable exercise that would likely be the final predeployment exam for Camp Lejeune’s 22nd MEU.
Military officials, however, cautioned that not all training gunfire will impact Camp Lejeune. Other options, including a computer system known as a Virtual At-Sea Trainer, will also be used.
“The VAST uses computer technology to simulate terrain,” Kuebler said.
Contact Eric Steinkopff at esteinkopff@jdnews.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 236
Sempers,
Roger