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Essex training reemphasizes importance of force protection

7th Fleet News Release

Release Date: 8/5/2003

Chief Journalist (SW/AW) Roger Dutcher, USS Essex public affairs

SASEBO, Japan - Before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, left an indelible impression in the minds of all Americans, an attack against USS Cole (DDG 67) in Yemen the year before sparked a renewed focus on force protection for the military.

Partly in response to an increase in security measures throughout the Navy, Sailors from USS Essex (LHD 2) continuously undergo force protection training. Afloat Training Group Western Pacific (ATG-WESTPAC) conducted the first of three phases of Anti-Terrorism/force protection training for Essex' Ship Self-Defense Force (SSDF) and Security Division July 29-31 here.

Chief Fire Controlman (SW/AW) Chris Johnson, one of the 10 members of ATG-WESTPAC in Yokosuka who conducted the training in Sasebo, said force protection has been around since the earliest days of the Navy, but it has been taken more seriously since the Cole incident and Sept.11.

"Force protection is not just a [deck department] responsibility any more than fighting fires is just an engineering responsibility," Johnson said. "It is an all-hands evolution."

This first stage of training was mostly classroom instruction with some hands-on training. It focused on baton usage, vehicle searches, bomb searches, space entry, rules of engagement and the use of deadly force.

Essex's weapons division provides a large percentage of manpower to the ship's SSDF. Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class (AW) Ceazare Kemp is an SSDF team leader, and said the force protection class provided both refresher training and a great opportunity to hone his skills.

"The training reminded me of how serious the job is," Kemp said. "It is important to get the right people on SSDF - people who know what they're doing and have the will to protect their shipmates."

That willingness underscores the importance of constant training to help Sailors make quick but calculated decisions in dangerous situations.

Military force protection teams must deal with some of the same issues that confront civilian police officers, such as when to resort to force to control a situation. As is the case of police officers, military force protection teams are taught to use sound reasoning and established guidelines in making split-second judgments in circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving.

Whether faced with bomb threats, intruders, or any other unexpected incident, Johnson said the common thread is that complacency kills.

"Everybody has to pay attention to what they are doing all the time," he said. "Bomb searches are extremely important, but so is the ID card checking process. Paying attention and applying force protection every day is the best way to avoid becoming an easy target for terrorists."

ATG-WESTPAC will return to Essex later in the year to conduct the second phase of training, in which they will take both the force protection training team and the SSDF watch-standers through various scenarios in preparation for the third phase.

In the third phase, Essex will be evaluated as to how the crew responds to attempted attacks by terrorists, played by ATG members. Johnson emphasized how he and his team make the training as realistic as possible to drive the self-defense message home.

He added that the training sessions have been met with positive responses. "I hope everyone has as positive an attitude about the training as we've seen from Essex and the other ships we've trained this week, and that they readily take these lessons on board," he said.