Costello takes command of Third Fleet
Toolbox
By Bruce Edwards Herald Staff - Published: May 18, 2005
Barry Costello is back doing what he likes best: "driving ships."
The Rutland native, who commanded one of the carrier battle groups during the Iraq war, has been promoted to vice admiral and given command of the Navy's Third Fleet in San Diego.
Costello, 54, took command of the Third Fleet on May 2, following a stint as the Navy's chief of legislative affairs on Capitol Hill.
During the Iraq war two years ago, the former Mount St. Joseph Academy student and Holy Cross College graduate, commanded the USS Constellation battle group.
"I've got 50 million square miles of ocean that is in my area of responsibility up here off the West Coast of the United States going out west to the International Dateline," Costello said last week during a phone interview from his San Diego headquarters.
Costello, who received his third admiral's star last month, has at any one time up to 73 ships, including five aircraft carriers, and 32,000 personnel under his command.
The Third Fleet has several responsibilities, including training "strike groups" as those ships head west "to operate either in the western Pacific or in the Persian Gulf" as part of the Seventh Fleet or Fifth Fleet respectively, Costello said.
"The second thing that we really focus on nowadays in the global war on terrorism is that I work with the Coast Guard … for the defense of the West Coast of the United States," he said.
That task, he said, also involves working with a number of state and federal organizations.
The third area of responsibility involves developing and experimenting with new technologies.
"Whether that's submarines, surface ships or airplanes, we're very much involved with trying out new, innovative technologies to see how we can improve," he said.
Costello, who hails from a family of well-known Vermont lawyers and is the nephew of the late Gen. Leonard Wing Jr., is a graduate of Albany Law School. But instead of pursuing a legal career, he opted instead to pursue a life at sea.
Costello has had his share of shore assignments during his naval career, most recently stationed at the Pentagon as the Navy's chief of legislative affairs. But given a choice, he said sea duty is his preference.
"Here I really have an opportunity to make a positive difference both on a large scale for how we operate the Navy … and on a different scale in the ability to go and visit ships and talk to and work one-on-one with sailors," he said. "So it's much more satisfying to me, frankly, to reach out and touch people and really make a difference."
According to the Third Fleet Web site (www.c3f.navy.mil), it is one of five fleets and is headquartered at Point Loma in San Diego. The Second and Sixth Fleets serve in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, respectively. The Pacific Fleet is composed of the Third and Seventh Fleets. Seventh Fleet units serve throughout the western Pacific and Indian Ocean region, while Fifth Fleet units serve throughout the Persian Gulf and Middle East.
Contact Bruce Edwards at bruce.edwards@rutlandherald.com.
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