Earlier this week, Marines assigned to Fleet Counterterrorism Security Team Company Squadron facilitated an expert exchange on the subject of close combat with Sailors and Soldiers from Naval Support Activity Bahrain. The U.S. Coast Guard Patrol Force Southwest Asia Maritime Operations Team hosted the exchange at the facility’s “Ship in the Box” training facility.
U.S. Navy sailors assigned to the Bahrain Naval Security Forces and U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army Central Command Crisis Response Force Task Force Blackjack worked with FASTCENT Marines to overcome various obstacles encountered in CQB environments. We individually demonstrated how they can be overcome.
SMEE allows service members to share tactics, techniques, and procedures while increasing interoperability between units. The units participating in the training are working together operationally and may work together in the future in response to real-world crises within U.S. Central Command’s jurisdiction.
“Overall, this SMEE is important for interoperability between different units, but also fosters a learning environment where personnel increase mutual proficiency in the arms professions and gain confidence from each team in adjacent units. It is also important to enable… Captain Rico Rodriguez, FASTCENT platoon commander
Training began with CQB basics, including personal movement, internal terrain identification, door procedures, and room entry. It has also evolved into more advanced concepts such as room clearing, hallway procedures, stairwells, opposing danger areas, and detainee procedures and scenarios.
The exercise culminated in a final exercise based on a force-on-force scenario. This exercise required the personnel to utilize the best practices and techniques learned over his three days to solve a problem.
“Overall, this SMEE is not only important for interoperability between different units, but also a learning environment for service members to increase mutual proficiency in the profession of arms and gain confidence from each team in adjacent units. “It allows us to develop our skills,” said Capt. Rico Rodriguez. FASTCENT Platoon Commander: “As Americans serving in the CENTCOM region, we can now better support each other.”
FASTCENT’s mission is to provide rapid response expeditionary counterterrorism and security forces to protect critical naval and national assets and conduct other time-limited contingency operations as directed in support of U.S. Central Command. It is. FASTCENT Marines are trained to deploy tactical forces, conduct counterterrorism operations, conduct ground security operations, and reinforce embassies.