SAN DIEGO – A San Diego-based U.S. Coast Guard anti-terrorism team will return home on Mother's Day tomorrow from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after a six-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. 

During the deployment, Maritime Safety and Security Team San Diego members formed the Joint Task Force Guantanamo Maritime Security Detachment and were responsible for securing the port and waterways around the base.

"The Coast Guard is a nimble service that consistently is able to adapt to multiple military missions," said Cmdr. Eric Cooper, MSST San Diego’s commanding officer. "The team consistently demonstrates quiet professionalism in every job that we perform, and I am extremely proud of their impressive contributions to this strategically important mission for the United States."

MSST San Diego boat crews, specialized in armed boat tactics and threat interdiction, conducted more than 4,500 hours of continuous patrols during the deployment.

The unit also provided shore-side security at Joint Task Force Guantanamo, which includes internal courtroom security for the expeditionary legal complex where military commissions for high value detainees are held. 

Prior to deploying, unit members completed two-months of training that included boat and weapon qualifications, team coordination training and CPR certification. To augment the MSST's active-duty component, reservists from across the nation were hand selected for the six-month deployment. 

“During the deployment, the active and reserve components integrated seamlessly across all aspects and the reservists brought unique skill sets from their civilian jobs that greatly enhanced our effectiveness,” Cooper said.

The reservist members' civilian occupations include everything from undergraduate students to police officers and airline employees. Each reservist volunteered for the deployment, were excited to join MSST San Diego and serve their country.

“My time working with the JTF has been an enlightening experience,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Laurie Fletcher, a Coast Guard Reservist normally assigned to Sector Puget Sound. “Recently working with the Navy in CENTCOM as a communications supervisor, I was able to use that experience to bring knowledge to my job here in GTMO.  Working closely with JTF and the Naval Station Guantanamo has helped me a gain a better knowledge of different branches of the military.”

MSST San Diego was created under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA) in direct response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and is a part of the Department of Homeland Security's layered strategy directed at protecting seaports and waterways.

MSSTs provide waterborne and a shore-side antiterrorism force protection for strategic shipping, high-interest vessels and critical infrastructure. These units are a quick response force capable of rapid worldwide deployment via air, ground or sea transportation in response to changing threat conditions and evolving maritime homeland security mission requirements.

Eleven MSSTs are strategically positioned throughout the nation and are components of the U.S. Deployable Operations Group (DOG). The DOG provides properly equipped, trained and organized Deployable Specialized Forces (DSFs) to Coast Guard, DHS, Department of Defense and interagency operational commanders.

Editor's Note:  Media is invited to attend the homecoming of MSST San Diego at Naval Station North Island, Calif., May 13, 2012, at 2:45 p.m.  Family members will be at the hotel to greet their returning loved ones.  Please contact Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Anderson at (202) 631-3313 to coordinate access to the Naval Station.

USCG MSST San Diego to New Orleans GTMO Transfer of Authority

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — Outgoing Commander U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team San Diego, Cmdr. Eric M. Cooper addresses the audience during the turnover of authority ceremony from San Diego to MSST New Orleans. MSST provides twenty-four hour security to both the Joint Task Force and Naval Station. Joint Task Force Guantanamo photo.

MSST San Diego Level 2 Tactics

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — Fast boat teams assigned to he United States Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) San Diego apply their tactics training in Guantanamo Bay. The Opposing Forces (OPFOR) boat (left) simulates a breached 500 yard security zone of a high valued asset and the Reaction vessel goes in and determines the OPFOR’s intent. MSST San Diego provides 24-hour security to both the Joint Task Force and Naval Station. Joint Task Force Guantanamo photo.

MSST San Diego Level 2 Tactics

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — Fast boat teams assigned to he United States Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) San Diego apply their tactics training in Guantanamo Bay. The Opposing Forces (OPFOR) boat (left) simulates a breached 500 yard security zone of a high valued asset and the Reaction vessel goes in and determines the OPFOR’s intent. MSST San Diego provides 24-hour security to both the Joint Task Force and Naval Station. Joint Task Force Guantanamo photo.

MSST San Diego / MCSFCO CASEVAC exercise

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — The United States Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team San Diego and the Marine Corps Security Forces Company use a Coast Guard fast boat to swiftly egress injured personnel to a medical check point during a simulated casualty evacuation exercise. Both MSST San Diego and MCSFCO provide 24-hour security to both the Joint Task Force and Naval Station. Joint Task Force Guantanamo photo.

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jaclyn Young

When most people think about a hazardous material threatening a local community, they might conjure the image of quiet, tree-lined residential neighborhood that sits, vulnerable, in the shadow of a nearby chemical facility or landfill. What they probably don’t imagine is a 680-foot ship that is capable of housing hundreds of live-in residents, under that very same threat.

Multiple times a year the National Strike Force trains for the very real possibility of a shipboard hazardous materials release. In February, the NSF’s Gulf Strike Team led a multi-agency training exercise with FBI SWAT and the Alabama National Guard’s 46th Civil Support Team.

(From left) Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Pat O'Hare and Petty Officer 3rd Class David Young, both with the Gulf Strike Team, prepare to perform decontamination procedures on an FBI SWAT member with artificial wounds during a joint agency exercise in Mobile, Ala., Feb. 16, 2012. The exercise allowed the GST to work with the FBI and the Alabama National Guard's 46th Civil Support Team to identify and react to an unknown hazardous chemical aboard the aboard the 680-foot USS Alabama. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Crystal Barnett.

Nearly 20 members from the GST participated in the drill that was designed to lead them and the other agencies through the simulated release of an unknown hazardous chemical aboard the USS Alabama at Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Ala.

The complexities of responding to a chemical release on a ship are unique because of the ship’s restrictive passageways, hidden voids, and numerous tiny man-holes separating one compartment from the next. This type of layout makes an emergency response not only challenging but extremely dangerous for responders without the proper training.

“The USS Alabama is a good training platform because it is a vessel with smaller compartments, which are realistic challenges during an actual shipboard mishap,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Austin Hunt of the GST. “The smaller compartments could cause our protective suits to rip or tear while clearing a space.”

Training in an actual environment with shipboard dangers helps prepare responders for the safest ways to navigate aboard a vessel with all of their extra gear. Not only are responders wearing a top layer of protective clothing, but they may have supplied air canisters strapped onto their backs. All of this protective clothing, plus heat issues, can add a lot of additional strain on the member.

However, bulky protective clothing wasn’t the only challenge built in to the training exercise. The GST also paired up with the other agencies to compare response tactics and standard operating procedures. The training, which included an entry and hostage extraction by FBI SWAT, incorporated both GST and Civil Support Team members into entry groups to conduct sampling and air monitoring. This cross-agency training provided an opportunity to compare methodology and equipment used by both teams.

(Left) Alabama National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Drew Boatright, of the 46th Civil Support Team, Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Young and Petty Officer 2nd Class Noel Lindsay, both with the Gulf Strike Team, prepare to embark the USS Alabama for an initial entry during a joint agency hazardous material exercise in Mobile, Ala., Feb. 16, 2012. The exercise allowed the GST to work with the FBI and the Alabama National Guard's 46th CST to identify and react to an unknown hazardous chemical aboard the aboard the vessel. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Crystal Barnett.

“The potential of a response like this would involve multiple agencies, and they all operate under different SOPs,” said Hunt. “Getting to know those procedures makes a response flow more effectively, and this was an excellent opportunity for that.”

Furthermore, Hunt said holding the exercise on the water was important because of the unique maritime spill response and incident management expertise the GST members possess.

“The GST has response officers and supervisors trained to the level of a hazardous material incident commander, and all members are trained in the special equipment the GST brings for a response of this nature,” Hunt said.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Patterson, who recently reported to the GST, said that not only was the training helpful, but it was rewarding to see that the other agencies operated under very similar procedures while working together to navigate through the ship and find the source of the chemical release.

“It was a very likely scenario, and everybody was on the same page,” said Patterson. “Anything can happen and we need to be able to respond to shipboard threats together.”

Story and photos by Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Johnson  
Pacific Strike Team  

RICHMOND, Calif. — The Pacific Strike Team assisted Sector San Francisco in the Bay Area’s Kaiser Shipyard after the decommissioned 205-foot Navy tug Tiger sank while moored, Dec. 11, 2011.

The ex-Navy tug Tiger sits submerged and leaking oil Dec. 11, 2011 at the Kaiser Shipyard. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Johnson.

The Pacific Strike Team performed site safety, air monitoring, cost documentation and contractor monitoring for Sector San Francisco during the salvage and recovery of the tug. The strike team also provided a mobile command post.

“Making the incident location absolutely safe was first priority,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Karl Siegmund. “The proper cleanup of hazardous materials, installation of handrails, and removal of loose pier components allowed for a safe and effective recovery operation to take place.”

The Pacific Strike Team uses a drum skimmer to collect a continuous trickle of oil at the Kaiser Shipyard after the ex-Navy tug Tiger sank on Dec. 11, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Johnson.

Teams built cofferdams and created hoisting points in preparation for de-watering during the three-month recovery effort. Containment and recovery of fuel and oils was an ongoing issue due to tides in the area, Siegmund said. Additionally, the age of the tug and the potential for additional unknown hazards on the vessel made air monitoring an important part of safety.

Crews transferred the tug’s remaining fuel and lubricating oil into portable storage tanks after the tug was refloated, and the tanks were then taken to a processing facility for proper disposal.

The Tiger’s history dates back almost 70 years, and includes four battle stars for service in World War II and five battle stars for service in the Korean conflict. The Kaiser Shipyard was home to one of the largest ship production facilities during World War II, and today it hosts multiple historic landmarks, parks and companies throughout the waterfront.

“Having a salvage operation in a sensitive area like San Francisco was challenging,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam Anderson. “Many steps were taken to ensure hazards were contained and kept away from environmentally sensitive areas, while information to the public was timely and accurate.”

PORTSMOUTH, VA. -- An off-duty Coast Guard member and Virginia Beach native provided first aid to a downed F/A-18D Hornet pilot after his plane crashed near Virginia Beach, Friday.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicholas Beane, a canine handler stationed at the Maritime Security Response Team, was at a friend's house having lunch when he heard the roar of jet planes over head.

His friend motioned for him to be quiet. Jets were a common occurrence because of the nearby Oceana Naval Air Station, and it was easier to talk after they had passed overhead. The plane's engine was straining though; something wasn't right.

There were a few loud pops, then an explosion as the F/A-18D Hornet crashed roughly 200 feet away from where Beane was standing.

"My training kicked in," Beane said. "I saw the fire and explosion, and I knew I had to help."

He raced to the nearby buildings on fire and began to knock on doors to make sure everyone was safely outside.

As he rounded the corner, he found the pilot, still attached to his parachute which was caught on the buildings roof, lying on the ground a few dozen feet from the flames.

As Beane raced to provide assistance, a civilian good samaritan leapt a nearby fence and was also moving to assist the injured pilot.

"My training as a Coast Guardsman prepares me to react to emergencies, Beane said. "The real heroes are the good samaritans. Their instinct to help overrides any fears they could have."

Together, they cut the pilot loose with Beane's knife.

After quickly checking for broken bones and other injuries, they carried the pilot to a parking lot about 100 feet away.

"We had to move him," Beane said. "There were more explosions, and the fire was spreading."

The pilot began talking although he seemed dazed.

"He kept asking if everybody else was OK," Beane said. He asked about the people on the ground and the other pilot. His own safety was the last thing on his mind."

There was another large explosion, so they moved the pilot to shelter behind a dumpster.

This time, he was able to gather enough strength to stand, although he needed help to walk.

Beane stayed with the pilot and provided water and care until paramedics arrived. The paramedics also treated Beane for smoke inhalation before he was released to go home.

"I am not surprised by Petty Officer Beane's actions," said Capt. Brian Thompson, commanding officer of the Maritime Security Response Team.  "Nick is one of our many top performers.  I am very proud he was able to use his Coast Guard training to help get the pilot to safety."

111109-G-RT555-388-USCG hosts HBCU summit

PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicholas Beane and Posca, an explosives detective K9, from the Deployable Operations Group was available to students attending a Coast Guard-Historically Black Colleges and Universities summit at Base Support Unit Portsmouth Wednesday, Nov. 9. The major element of the HBCU partnership is to create a mutually beneficial relationship with the Coast Guard and universities in support of higher education. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Walter Shinn.

SAN DIEGO – A Port Clinton, Ohio, based Coast Guard port security unit assisted four mariners in distress while conducting training on San Diego Bay, April 6.

“This is an example of the multi-mission capabilities of the Port Security Units,” said Cmdr. Gerald A. Nauert, Port Security Unit 309’s commanding officer.  “Our primary mission is to provide security to sensitive ports and vessels, but our training also enables us to provide humanitarian assistance to the public. It’s a perfect example of our members living up to our unit motto, Facta Non Verba – Deeds Not Words.”

During the first incident, an underway PSU 309 boat crew observed a distress signal from three passengers aboard a nearby vessel. Their powerless vessel was caught in the current and was being pushed toward the shore. The Coast Guard crew pulled alongside to provide assistance. After the vessel’s engine would not restart, they safely towed the civilian crew and their vessel to its homeport.

Later that same day, another PSU 309 boat crew was underway when Sector San Diego requested they assist a kayaker, who had washed onto rocks near the mouth of San Diego Bay. The crew made contact with the elderly male, brought him aboard and provided first aid before transferring him to a San Diego Harbor Police vessel to receive further emergency medical care.  

PSU 309 was conducting joint training on San Diego Bay with U.S. Navy Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron Three in preparation for overseas deployment.

Established May 1995 as a Coast Guard Reserve unit, PSU 309 provides security and protects personnel and facilities from terrorism, sabotage, espionage, subversion, and attack. The unit has a proud operational heritage, including missions in support of Operations’ Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Desert Storm, Noble Eagle and Uphold Democracy. 

PSUs are a component of the Coast Guard’s Deployable Operations Group (DOG).  The DOG provides properly equipped, trained, and organized Deployable Specialized Forces (DSFs) to Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense and interagency operational and tactical commanders.

For more information about PSU 309 click here.

By Chief Petty Officer Christopher Zahn

A group of students, including National Strike Force members, attend a Texas A&M Oil Spill Control Course and prepare to deploy boom from a shoreline staging area, Jan. 25, 2012. U.S. Coast Guard photo by the Atlantic Strike Team.

GALVESTON, Texas — Members from the National Strike Force’s Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf strike teams worked alongside other response and industry personnel to learn about spill response at the Oil Spill Control Course in Galveston Jan. 23-27, 2012.

The course was hosted by Texas A&M’s Engineering Extension Service and covered topics including oil movement, containment and cleanup, boom and skimmer design, shoreline protection, and cleanup and restoration.

“The course had great hands-on training,” said Petty Officer 1st Class James Moore, a member of the Atlantic Strike Team, based out of Ft. Dix, N.J. “I learned a lot about deploying boom in different wind conditions and how to adjust the anchoring systems. It was good to work with members with the various backgrounds.”

The class was comprised of students from the Coast Guard, regulatory agencies and U.S. and Canadian industry partners. The instruction went beyond theory. Each day, students went out to the field to practice the tactics they had learned, getting a mix of classroom and practical instruction that culminated in a final exercise at the end of the week.

A group of students, including National Strike Force members, attend a Texas A&M Oil Spill Control Course and prepare to deploy an oil skimmer that looks like a manta ray and floats on the surface as it collects oil, Jan. 23, 2012.  U.S. Coast Guard photo by the Atlantic Strike Team.

For their final exercise, the teams were given a scenario and had to apply what they learned regarding the movement of oil, and containment and cleanup techniques, to organize and execute a response to a simulated oil spill.

“The techniques I learned during theses exercises will be valuable in responses to oil spills where swift and effective deployment of response equipment is vital,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Jeffrey Nagel, a member of the Atlantic Strike Team.

Story by Cmdr. Richard Schultz and Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Foster

Atlantic Strike Team

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. — Imagine a 200,000 gallon spill of heavy fuel oil just 25 miles outside the Chesapeake Bay with weather conditions moving the oil toward tourist’s beaches and protected habitats along the Eastern Shore and Delmarva Peninsula within the next 30 hours.

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. - Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Foster, a member of the Atlantic Strike Team based out of Ft. Dix, N.J., explains how the Vessel of Opportunity Skimming System is deployed and operated during a large oil spill, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012, at the Eastern Shore Dispersant Workshop. The National Strike Force's teams are the Coast Guard's leading experts on oil spill and hazardous materials response. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Wyatt Ingram.

This, and many other computerized scenarios, played out by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration during the Eastern Shore Dispersant Workshop, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012, hosted by Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads. The session was aimed at educating area stakeholders and community partners about the use of dispersants to combat oil spills.

Members from the National Strike Force’s Atlantic Strike Team had the opportunity to attend and present information at this unique public outreach forum workshop held at the Marine Science Consortium in Wallops Island. The goal of the workshop was to facilitate knowledge-based communications with over 100 local stakeholders about dispersant use for oil spill response in a sensitive, coastal environment.

Cmdr. Richard Schultz, the commanding officer of the Atlantic Strike Team, Lt. j.g. Adam Mosley, the chemical division officer and Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Foster, the response supervisor, provided subject matter expertise on dispersant use monitoring and mechanical oil recovery.

All of the various government agencies and oil spill removal organizations presented nine topics that also included; An Introduction to Dispersants, Dispersant Use Approval, Oil and Dispersant Impacts, Safety and Health, and Fisheries and Seafood Safety.

“This was a great opportunity to showcase not just the NSF’s capabilities, but the Coast Guard’s capabilities and responsibilities during an oil spill.” said Foster. “It’s good to have this equipment readily available, not just for response, but also for people to get a feel for just how these items work and the logistics involved.”

Dispersant use monitoring is a unique responsibility that the Coast Guard strike teams have when dispersants are applied to an oil spill that incorporates the deployment of equipment and personnel to implement the Special Monitoring of Applied Response Technology program.

The three-tiered SMART program employs strategies to help determine whether or not dispersants are working as prescribed. These strategies include aerial observation and collection of various water data before and after the application of dispersants and at various water depths from the surface to ten meters. All collected information is provided by the strike team to the assigned NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator who determines the effectiveness of the applied dispersants.

"The presentations and discussion stations provided a complete view of oil spill response with a focus on understanding dispersants; this commonsense approach helped everyone make better sense of an oil spill mitigation tool and process that had not previously been too clear," said Mosley.

Many participants, including the workshop coordinators, believe that this is the first dispersant workshop of its kind to ever be held. Participants, attendees, and presenters left with a better understanding of preparing for and responding with each other to future oil spills.

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. - Lt. j.g. Adam Mosley a member of the Atlantic Strike Team based out of Ft. Dix, N.J., explains the operation of the Turner C-3 fluorometer and the monitoring tactics of the SMART program to Brian Sturgis, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012, at the Eastern Shore Dispersant Workshop. The National Strike Force's teams are the Coast Guard's leading experts on oil spill and hazardous materials response. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Cmdr. Richard Schultz.

Story by Chief Warrant Officer Shane Barrington,
Pacific Strike Team

NOVATO, Calif. — Everyone knows that practice makes perfect, and it’s especially important for emergency responders to hone their skills in order to protect the public and the environment.

The Coast Guard’s Novato-based National Strike Force Pacific Strike Team conducted emergency response drills at the Del Valle Regional Training Facility, Santa Clarita, Calif., Feb. 29 – March 2.

The facility, which is maintained by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, is a multi-venue training center that can simulate railcar, vehicle and aircraft crashes. It also has multiple buildings that can simulate weapons of mass destruction attacks, hazardous materials spills and radiological contamination.

PST members annually train at the Del Valle facility.

“Textbook instruction is important, but hands-on training is crucial to understanding what we’ll face during a response,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Benedict Lizama, a PST break-in response technician.  “This takes what we learned, and lets us respond to a realistic scenario in a safe environment.”

During the three-day training event, PST members faced several different emergencies.

In the first scenario, a truck overturned and spilled its cargo into a nearby waterway. The four-person entry team set up air monitoring equipment, evaluated the truck’s stability and secured the leaks. After the truck was secured, a team constructed an underflow dam to keep any contamination from spreading downstream.

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Petty Officer 1st Class Travis Olsen and Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Johnson of the Pacific Strike Team build an underflow dam while conducting an emergency response drill at the Del Valle Regional Training Facility in Santa Clarita, Calif., Feb. 2, 2012. Teams with the National Strike Force annually conduct exercises to safely train new members in the challenging conditions often encountered at actual responses. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer Shane Barrington.

Next, PST personnel battled a chlorine gas release. The entry team donned Level “A” personal protective equipment, the highest level of protection against hazardous environments, that consists of a fully encapsulating suit that allows for a self-contained breathing apparatus to be worn inside the suit. The team then isolated four, one-ton chlorine cylinders attached to a mock hotel’s pool system. They determined which one was leaking and secured the cylinder.

Lt. j.g. Amanda Le Monde transferred to the PST in 2011, and the training at the Del Valle facility is part of her response officer qualification.

“It was a good opportunity to see the roles of the response supervisor and response officer, and how they have to interact during a case,” said Le Monde.

No one ever wishes for a disaster to occur, but the training the PST receives at the Del Valle facility provides team members a hands-on opportunity to learn and practice techniques that could potentially save the lives of the public, their team mates and protect the environment.

PACIFIC OCEAN – A U. S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, deployed aboard a U.S. Navy frigate, apprehended three suspected smugglers and seized more than 900 pounds of cocaine from a vessel in international waters approximately 55 nautical miles off the coast of Colombia, Feb. 4.

The vessel was initially spotted by a U.S. Navy marine patrol aircraft after which, two Navy helicopters were launched to intercept the vessel. The suspects attempted to evade intercept, jettisoned several bales and altered their course.

A Navy helicopter and an interceptor boat chased the suspects’ vessel until it came to a full stop and the Coast Guard LEDET was able to conduct a boarding.  The LEDET searched the vessel, resulting in the discovery of a compartment underneath a false deck where the cocaine was hidden.

LEDETs belong to Tactical Law Enforcement Team South or Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team and are an armed deployable specialized force under the U.S. Coast Guard’s Deployable Operations Group. They were created to support narcotics interdiction operations aboard U.S. Navy and allied ships and are capable of supporting Department of Defense national defense operations. LEDETs provide specialized law enforcement capability and maritime security capabilities to enforce U.S. laws across a full spectrum of maritime response situations, maritime security augmentation and maritime interdiction anti-piracy operations.

120204-G-XX000-089 Eastern Pacific LEDET drug interdiction

PACIFIC OCEAN — A vessel spotted approximately 55 nautical miles off the coast of Colombia, sits in the water after suspected smugglers attempted to evade law enforcement authorities, Feb 4. An inspection of the boat performed by a U. S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment revealed more than 900 pounds of cocaine hidden under a false deck. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

120204-G-XX000-026 Eastern Pacific LEDET drug interdiction

PACIFIC OCEAN — Packages of cocaine totaling more than 900 pounds are packed inside a hidden compartment of a boat boarded by a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment operating from a U.S. Navy vessel off the coast of Colombia, Feb 4. The contraband was seized and two suspected smugglers taken into custody. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Novato-based Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team, a national-level contingency response organization, led fuel-transfer operations at the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet in Benicia, Calif., Wednesday as part of fuel conservation efforts and hands-on training for disaster response.

Thirty-two members of the team worked all week starting Feb. 6 and wrapped up Friday to prep, set-up and deploy equipment aboard the decommissioned Navy class fleet oiler Kawishiwi. As part of helping the Maritime Administration with recyling fuel, the strike team’s goal was to lighter approximately 30,000 gallons of fuel onto a shipyard fuel barge alongside the oiler.

“This operation allows our crew to train in a controlled environment for our all-hazards response; oil spill and HAZMAT response that we specialize in,” said Lt. j.g. Mandy Le Monde, the lightering team's response officer. "In addition, we're helping provide a service to MARAD in removing fuel off these mothball vessels so they can re-use them for future operations.

Kawishiwi is one of several decommissioned vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet also known as its moniker of the “mothball fleet." The strike team has successfully lightered several ships in the fleet while using these real scenarios to keep their skills fresh and to increase their hands-on experience. 

As one of the three elements of the Coast Guard National Strike Force, the Pacific Strike Team’s military professionalism, logistics and management expertise and extensive training is critical to effective disaster response. They are recognized worldwide as expert authorities in preparing for, and responding to disasters resulting from oil emissions, hazardous substance discharges, weapons of mass destruction events, and many other contingencies.

WASHINGTON – A Coast Guard chief petty officer was honored Tuesday for his superior service while deployed in support of overseas combat operations.

Chief Petty Officer Lee Conroy, a maritime enforcement specialist, assigned to Maritime Safety and Security Team San Diego, was presented the 2011 National Defense Industrial Association Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict Award for his actions in support of the counter-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden.

This award honors one member from each of the five armed services who has distinguished him or herself while supporting special operations, low-intensity conflicts or irregular warfare.

“I am honored to be recognized alongside our DOD brethren,” said Chief Petty Officer Lee Conroy. “But the true recognition belongs to my shipmates at MSST San Diego. Without their dedication and sacrifice I wouldn’t be receiving this award.”

Chief Conroy was sighted for his leadership, superior judgment and operational knowledge. He successfully led an eight-person advanced interdiction team during a 120-day overseas deployment to Central Command for operations Enduring Freedom and Riptide. As part of the anti-piracy Task Force 151Chief Conroy instructed training sessions with 80 Navy Vessel Board, Search and Seizure team members in Close Quarters Combat and mission planning in anticipation of joint boardings. Chief Conroy’s professionalism and leadership resulted in the removal of 18 pirates from the Gulf of Aden during four joint Coast Guard and Navy counter-piracy boardings.

“We are extremely proud of Chief Conroy,” said Coast Guard Capt. Jeffrey Novotny, Deputy Commander of the Coast Guard’s Deployable Operations Group. “His accomplishments epitomize the capability and adaptability our deployable specialized forces bring to operational commanders at home and abroad.”

Conroy and his fellow honorees were presented the award Tuesday evening before a crowd of nearly 600 special operations soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and their families. The banquet featured a number of distinguished guests, including Adm. James A. Winnefeld, Jr., USN, Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, who delivered the keynote address.

WASHINGTON – Chief Petty Officer Lee Conroy (center), a maritime enforcement specialist, assigned to Maritime Safety and Security Team San Diego, was presented the 2011 National Defense Industrial Association Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict Award for his actions in support of the counter-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden Feb. 7, 2012. Conroy was presented his award by Gen. James E. "Hoss" Cartwright (center), USMC (Ret), former Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Ms. Irene H. Sanders, Chair, NDIA SO/LIC Division (right). Photo courtesy Scott Rekdal of NDIA.

GULF OF ADEN – Coast Guard and U.S. Navy Visit, Board, Search and Seize members (VBSS) members are shown enroute to a counter-piracy boarding, Feb. 5, 2011. The Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team San Diego (91109) detachment deployed for four months in support of Combined Task Force 151’s counter-piracy operations. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

GULF OF ADEN – Coast Guard and U.S. Navy Visit, Board, Search and Seize members (VBSS) members conduct training with U.S. Navy aerial assets, Feb. 4, 2011. The Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team San Diego (91109) detachment deployed for four months in support of Combined Task Force 151’s counter-piracy operations. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

FORT DIX, N.J. - In a ceremony January 27, 2012 the Atlantic Strike Team honored the hard work and dedication of a select few Coast Guard Auxiliarists.

The recent ceremony honored the rich history of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, its members' 73 years of service to America and the 10 years of service the Auxiliary members have provided to the Atlantic Strike Team.

Since August 2001 Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers have given more than 24,000 hours of time to the National Strike Force's Atlantic Strike Team. More than 15 Auxiliarists have dedicated themselves to supporting the AST as an essential part of the team. They have managed the unit's daily routine, tracked personnel and resources, greeted visitors, served as security and stood more than 2,500 eight-hour watches.

"They are critical to the success of the unit's mission," said Cmdr. Richard Schultz, the AST's commanding officer. "They provide life lessons and mentorship that benefit the entire crew."

FORT DIX, N.J. - The Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team honored their Auxiliary Watchstanders in a ceremony for service spanning over 10 years January 20, 2012. This dedicated team stood more than 2,500 eight-hour watches and volunteered more than 24,000 hours. Pictured here are: Coast Guard Auxiliarists Lawrence Volz, Ellen Voorhees, Dorothy Smith, Frederick Kretsch, Carol Giroud and Dolores Verbanaz, in the back row: Active Duty Coast Guard members: Lt. Cmdr. David Reinhard, Cmdr. Richard Schultz and Lt. Benjamin Tuxhorn. U.S. Coast Guard photo by the Atlantic Strike Team.

The Auxiliary watchstander program started in 2001 when three Auxiliarists volunteered to assist in the AST's incident response center. The volunteers have been instrumental in several high profile National Strike Force pollution and natural disaster responses including three major oil spills, a mustard gas release, and four major hurricanes. For every incident, the Auxiliary watchstanders facilitated the rapid deployment of personnel and assisted with tracking all deployed resources.

"Their efforts have greatly contributed to our success at each response," Schultz said.

The Auxiliary watchstanders took over all watch functions shortly after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Their surge of volunteers freed active duty strike team members to deploy critical unit resources to lower Manhattan as part of the recovery and clean up efforts.

The Auxiliary watchstanders assumed the watch again in October 2001 and April 2004 when the U. S. Capitol was hit by the anthrax and ricin biological terrorist attacks. The Auxiliary watchstanders managed the deployment and tracking of strike team resources for each incident.

"Every time the AST has needed to surge resources for a critical event, the Auxiliary watchstanders have been there," Schultz said.

The April 2010 blowout of the Deepwater Horizon oil well and subsequent Spill of National Significance was no exception. As the entire Coast Guard mobilized to support the response, the Auxiliary watchstanders stood up and integrated with the AST. Schultz said the watchstanders' phenomenal communication, coordination, resources tracking, and documentation skills allowed the AST to bring their full force of responders and oil spill cleanup gear to bear.

"I am proud to be part of the Atlantic Strike Team and the Auxiliary Watchstander program," said Ellen Voorhees, one of the original members and the Auxiliary Unit Liaison at the AST. "I'm extremely proud of the whole team."

Schultz said the Auxiliary makes contributions on a daily basis, which increases the capabilities of the Atlantic Strike Team and the National Strike Force.

"They are truly part of our team," said Schultz.

The Atlantic Strike Team assisted the Environmental Protection Agency Region Five On-Scene Coordinator during a hazardous materials emergency removal action in November and December 2011 at a former chemical production facility in Detroit, Mich.

DETROIT - Petty Officer 1st Class Seth Hartmann, a machinery technician at the Atlantic Strike Team, conducts a flammability test on an unknown sample in an Environmental Protection Agency hazardous materials categorization trailer, November 29, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Edward Primeau

Responders found more than 500 drums, tanks, compressed gas cylinders, and other miscellaneous containers strewn throughout the abandoned site.  A large number of the containers were unlabeled and unsecured, and marked with warnings ranging from ‘toxic’ to ‘poison.’

“There were puddles and pools of liquid waste on the floor around many of the containers, and it was critical that the area be cleaned properly,” said Ed Primeau, Atlantic Strike Team’s Industrial Hygienist. “This site is located next to a residential area and posed a significant threat to the local population.”

The National Strike Force and the EPA have an extensive history of working together to reduce or eliminate the dangers posed to both humans and the environment at hazardous materials sites. The relationship stems from the National Contingency Plan, which dictates that NSF pollution response resources are available to both Coast Guard and EPA Federal On-Scene Coordinators.

“The longstanding relationships, response support history, and seamless interoperability that all three Coast Guard strike teams have with their regional EPA On-Scene Coordinators is vital to safe mission completion during any pollution incident large or small," said Cmdr. Richard Schultz, the commanding officer of the Atlantic Strike Team.

Over a four-week period, under the direction of an environmental chemist, Atlantic Strike Team members reviewed Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all chemicals found on site, reviewed the transportation and disposal documentation for all chemicals departing the site, and conducted field tests to determine the hazardous characteristics of samples.  This allowed the cleanup contractor to safely bulk compatible waste, thus reducing the amount of waste streams needed for disposal.

In addition to conducting hazard categorization, the Atlantic Strike Team brought an instrument new to its inventory to conduct chemical sample analysis.  The instrument uses Raman spectroscopy to initiate molecular vibrations, or Raman scattering, which are then used by the instrument to identify the solid or liquid chemical. 

DETROIT - Edward Primeau, an industrial hygienist at the Atlantic Strike Team, uses a chemical analyzer to determine the identity of an unknown sample, December 1, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Seth Hartmann

“The new equipment allowed us to identify numerous unknowns in less than half the time it takes to perform the hazardous categorization process on a sample,” said Petty Officer 1^st Class Seth Hartmann, a machinery technician with the Atlantic Strike Team.

Atlantic Strike Team members performed field laboratory tests to categorize a total of 329 samples, and verified the contents of 149 containers.  When the instrument identified a chemical that did not have the appropriate hazard characteristic based on that result, Atlantic Strike Team members contacted the manufacturer for support.  The members emailed the chemical spectrum to a scientist who analyzed the result and reported their findings. 

“The hazard categorization and test results allowed the removal and disposal contractors to handle hazardous materials in a safe manner that protected responders and the local population during site cleanup operations,” said Primeau.

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PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A local Coast Guard Reserve unit deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom Wednesday.

During the deployment, Coast Guard Port Security Unit 305 will provide seaward security at strategic port locations around the North Arabian Gulf ensuring the free flow of personnel, equipment and commerce in the region.

“I am extremely proud of the men and women under my command,” said Cmdr. Michael Ferullo, the commanding officer of PSU 305. “With the utmost proficiency and professionalism, they dedicated themselves to preparing for this deployment.”

Prior to deploying, PSU 305 mobilized to complete training with the Navy’s Maritime Expeditionary Squadron to increase interoperability and cooperation between the two sea services. During the exercise, they protected a mock forward operating base and responded to scenarios ranging from protests to terrorist attacks.

“Our seamless integration and work with our Navy counterparts enables us to conduct this joint service mission,” Ferullo said.

The unit also participated in the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, a Department of Defense-wide effort to promote the well-being of National Guard and reserve members, their families and communities, by connecting them with resources throughout the deployment cycle. Through Yellow Ribbon events, service members and loved ones connect with local resources before, during and after deployments.

PSU 305 provides security and protects military personnel and facilities from terrorism, sabotage, espionage, subversion, and attack. The unit has a proud operational heritage, including securing New York Harbor after 9/11 and in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Desert Storm, Noble Eagle and Uphold Democracy.

PSUs are a component of the Coast Guard’s Deployable Operations Group. The DOG provides properly equipped, trained and organized deployable specialized forces to the Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense and interagency operational and tactical commanders.