NSWU-10 Relocation

Special Operations Command Europe has removed it's Navy SEAL presence from Rota, Spain. This occured in July, sending the 45 members of Naval Special Warfare Unit Ten to bases in the United States as part of an ongoing restructuring effort.

The announcement came a month after the Navy announced it would remove Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 2, known as VQ-2, from Rota in a move that will decrease the base population by about 1,000 sailors and family members, or about 17 percent of the base population.

"The removal of the SEALs from Rota does not affect ongoing negotiations with Spain and other countries to find a headquarters for special operations in Europe south of the Alps to consolidate its Army, Air Force and Navy components.", said Capt. Alan Oshirak, chief of staff for Special Operations Command Europe.

Asked whether Spanish officials should take the move as a sign that U.S. officials are favoring Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily, as the potential location for a future Europe special operations headquarters, Oshirak said: “I would encourage them not to at this point.”

The only other SEAL presence in Europe, the 60-member Naval Special Warfare Unit Two based in Stuttgart, Germany, along with the special operations headquarters staff, will assume the functions of the Rota unit, Oshirak said.

The move will end more than 10 years of SEAL presence in Rota. The unit, which contained about 20 SEALs and 25 support personnel, served as commander of Task Force 63, U.S. Sixth Fleet’s executive agent on naval special warfare operations.

The unit’s official decommission date was July 25.

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I think the removal can hinder the USN's capabilities, for several reasons.

1) Slower response times to crisis in the AOR surrounding Rota.

2) Psychological effect on terrorists by presence removed, resulting in a false sense of security, which could lead to an increase of events in this area.

3) Commands are being consolidated, which hinders the capability of NSWU-10. Basically, what I mean is that by taking one command, and joining it with another, commanding officers will be integrated, which will result in a "cock-fight", if you will, over who has seniority. This will damper the efficiency of the unit, teamwise.

Check this out Figher Master FIN. Along the lines of the subject we were discussing earlier. Later dude.