The new U.S. Navy has, in two years built a new ground combat force, staffed by 40,000 sailors. This is NECC (Navy Expeditionary Combat Command), which is capable of operating along the coast and up rivers, as well as further inland. NECC units are already in Iraq, and ready to deploy anywhere else they are needed. The 1,200 sailors in the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) teams are particularly sought after, because of increased use of roadside bombs and booby traps by the enemy. NECC has also organized three Riverine Squadrons, and two have already served in Iraq. NECC basically consists of most of the combat support units the navy has traditionally put ashore, plus some coastal and river patrol units that have usually only been organized in wartime.
A year ago, there were only 20,000. Mostly this is packaging existing forces. But the riverine squadrons and light infantry are new forces. This frees up Army and Marine units to carry out their primary duties instead of supporting the Navy ashore or operating on inland waters. The importance of this force and the need for it is indicated by efforts to make NECC a career path in the Navy.
From blue water focus during the Cold War, the Navy has looked to the shorelines with a green water focus, then a brown water focus of inland waters, and now the Navy is going ashore in strength.
This not only demonstrates the needs of the Long War but the dominance of our Navy in the blue waters that they can comes ashore with 40,000 sailors.
