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Blue Ridge officers complete Marine Safety International training

7th Fleet News Release

01/07/2003

USS Blue Ridge public affairs

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- The U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet command ship, USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) is outfitted with the latest command, control and communications technology in order to effectively command naval units defending the national interests of the United States. The ship operates routinely in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, and waters adjacent to areas involved in the War on Terrorism.

This highly visible ship visits many foreign ports, conducting military and diplomatic engagements with U.S. allies, in her normal international duties. With the potential threat to this valuable national asset, and the need for continuous review and practice of force protection, Blue Ridge's commanding officer, Capt. Andrew Sevald sent 10 of his officers to Naval Station San Diego, Calif., recently to take advantage of the Marine Safety International (MSI) training facility. The simulator training available at MSI features ship handling, safe navigation and many other areas, including force protection.

MSI is a private company that is contracted through Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific (COMNAVSURFPAC) to provide ship driving and bridge resource manangement training to U.S. Navy and allied Navy crews. The facility houses three simulators that offer 180 degree views and can simulate any class of Navy ship, including surface, submarines and most merchant ships. The training allows junior and senior Sailors alike to train and learn the specifics of ship driving at a fraction of the cost and man hours while possibly saving the Navy money for repairs caused by any real-world mishaps.

Lt. Cmdr. David W. Haas, Blue Ridge's executive officer, oversaw the training at the facility. Blue Ridge arranged for the training through COMNAVSURFPAC, who administers the schedule for Pacific Fleet ships. The 10 bridge watch standers used MSI's shiphandling simulators for four days.

According to Haas, naval surface warfare officers use the facility to develop basic surface warfare skills, but the Blue Ridge officers were able to further expand the numerous scenarios the trainer offers.

"Every six months, the Captain (Sevald) or I go with 10 junior officers to the trainer to maintain skills," he said. "After an SRA [Ship's Restricted Availability] period, this can help to recapture the mariner's eye. But after the USS Cole (DDG 67) incident," said Haas, "I asked if it would be possible if we could interact a terrorist type scenario into the training."

The first three evenings were used for basic ship handling and proficiency improvement and getting the "feel" of the ship. This was done in simulators which duplicated Blue Ridge's hydrodynamic modeling and a realistic representation of its forward-deployed port of Yokosuka, Japan, and other ports Blue Ridge visits, Haas said. A review of "Rules of the Road" was conducted along with standard commands, line handling and use of tugs.

Haas directed the Blue Ridge officers as they practiced getting underway from alongside a pier, approaching and going alongside an oiler for underway replenishment and mooring the ship.

All this with realistic winds and currents, night and day, clear and fog.

Ens. Frank Sparks and Lt. j. g. Earl Duff demonstrated considerable expertise in maneuvering the ship; both officers had previously handled ships and spent considerable time in simulators. Sparks, in a previous training visit to the simulator, earned the privilege of actually conning Blue Ridge into Vladivostok, Russia, during its late-summer port visit there, by winning a "med-moor" contest at MSI.

According to Duff, a Norman, Okla. native, using the MSI trainer has a definite impact. "We trained in scenerios such as underway replenishment, getting underway from a pier, narrow harbor transit and a force protection exercise," he said. "All of these events are going to be quite useful for us when we assume command."

The training program also included opportunities for each of the Blue Ridge officers to navigate their ship through simulated narrow winding channels with realistic environmental effects. A seminar analysis was conducted to look at lessons-learned by error-chain causes of an actual Navy ship grounding.

One session at the trainer provided the officers with one of the most challenging portions of the training program, as Haas briefed the group on a simulated visit to a fictional port in a country where there had been intelligence reports of terrorist interest and activity relating to the Blue Ridge's transit through narrow channels leading to her berth.

According to Haas, one of the most vulnerable times any ship can face is entering and exiting a port. His scenario put the ship in a high state of readiness to counter any terrorist acts. The group discussed considerations of personnel positioning, use of sensors, lookouts and armament.

The need for attention to the safe navigation of the ship and attention to protection were of paramount concern during this portion of the exercise, according to Lt. Alejandro Yanza.

"Someone has to drive the ship and someone else has to keep the bad guys away," he said.

After the initial part of the session ended, the participants agreed the exercise demonstrated the ship had to be prepared for instantaneous and intense response -- and the response had to be appropriate to the threat. Terrorist feints and attacks were executed and the bridge team responded accordingly.

The "terrorists" attempted to expose Blue Ridge and then block the passage with large merchant ships while simultaneously attacking with high-speed small craft. Sparks and Duff, controlling Blue Ridge for this portion of the exercise, recognized the tactics and prevented the terrorist vessels from getting into position.

According to Haas, the time spent at the MSI trainer offered the opportunity for the team to visualize how quickly a mishap or attack can develop, as well as the chance to demonstrate how to prevent mishaps or the procedures needed to correct them if they do happen - and how to fight against terrorists.

"We further developed our junior officers' seaman's eye, and we were able to validate our Battle Orders Preplanned Response," he said. "We were able to show a small group of individuals how small the battle space can quickly become within visual range while continuing to develop the command relationship of a ship going in and out of port."

After a long trip from Yokosuka to San Diego and four long nights of training, Blue Ridge Sailors received the benefits of one of the most valuable training services available to the U.S. Navy.