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News | Dec. 20, 2013

Commander, USSTRATCOM, Visits NSB Kings Bay

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ashley Hedrick Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay Public Affairs

KINGS BAY, Ga (NNS) -- The commander of United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) visited Naval Submarine Base (NSB) Kings Bay, Ga., Dec. 18 for a firsthand look at the east coast home of Ohio-class submarines and a tour of Kings Bay's facilities.

"It's really great to have the opportunity to get here this early in my command tour of U.S. Strategic Command," Adm. Cecil D. Haney said. "As I look at the missions that the unified command plan requires of U.S. Strategic Command, first and foremost is the mission of deterrence. A critical part of that is being executed by the forces here in Kings Bay."

Haney was given a tour of the many different commands that play a crucial role in Kings Bay's deterrence mission, such as Strategic Weapons Facility Atlantic, Trident Refit Facility and Trident Training Facility. Lunch was served aboard USS Rhode Island (SSBN 740) with a tour of the ballistic-missile submarine (SSBN) and a meet-and-greet with the crew.

Haney spoke to Sailors during an all-hands call, addressing the crucial roles that each Sailor has to support the strategic mission and the importance of teamwork. Sailors asked questions about USSTRATCOM's mission and what to expect in the future.

"I wanted to come to this base, meet the Sailors who are executing the mission and really talk about them in terms of the importance of the mission, but also hear their questions," Haney said. "It's very important to them to continue to work and understand there is no room for error in this mission. That requires teamwork."

An essential part of the nation's strategic capabilities, the SSBNs homeported at NSB Kings Bay serve as one part of the nation's nuclear triad.

As the sea leg of the triad, the SSBN is important to our deterrence mission because of its survivability and flexibility, and what it brings to the table in terms of nuclear weapons capabilities, Haney said.

He said that the other two components of the triad-the Air Force's bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles or ICBMs-are equally vital.

"It is important that we maintain the triad. Each leg of the triad brings its unique capabilities, and any adversary that would think of doing the United States harm would have to have that in their calculus," Haney said.

He recently assumed command over USSTRATCOM, replacing previous commander, General Robert Kehler, Nov. 15. Adm. Haney serves as the senior commander of unified military forces from all four branches of the military and as the advocate of the nation's strategic capabilities.

USSTRATCOM relies on various task forces for the execution of its global missions, including space operations, information operations, missile defense, global command and control; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR); global strike and strategic deterrence, and combating weapons of mass destruction. TF134 supports USSTRATCOM's strategic deterrence missions by operating and maintaining Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines to deter regional and strategic threats from adversaries.

For more news from Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., visit www.navy.mil/local/subasekb/.