USS Theodore Roosevelt

The US Navy Carrier Strike Group-4 (CSG-4) has started the Composite Training Unit exercise (COMPTUEX) with the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG).

Aimed at improving the capabilities of service members, COMPTUEX involves assessing the mission-readiness of deployable assets and their potential to react to training scenarios as an integrated unit.

CSG-4 Senior Enlisted Adviser master chief cryptologic technician (technical) Todd Womack said: "CSG-4 is evaluating how the battle group defends itself, how it projects power and how well it executes preplanned responses to multiple types of scenarios."

The group employs several military and civilian personnel at sea, in the air and on land during the exercise, in a bid to prepare units to forward deploy in support and defence of national interests.

TRCSG comprises CSG-12, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 2, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), USS Normandy (CG 60), USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) and USS Farragut (DDG 99).

In addition, the exercise will involve independent vessels, including USS McFaul (DDG 74) and USS Laboon (DDG 58), which attain their deployment certification.

Womack added: "We have 132 people on board Theodore Roosevelt alone with, on average, six personnel on each of the escort ships.

"We have about 60 more sailors and civilians on the beach supporting this evolution, not only as trainers and assessors, but as pilots for the simulated opposition forces (OPFOR) aircraft and mobile sea range (MSR) vessels."

CSG-4 includes a team of experienced sailors, marines, government civilians and reservists, who guide, train and assess Atlantic Fleet combat forces.


Image: USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) aircraft carrier. Photo: courtesy of mass communication specialist 2nd Class Katie Lash / released.