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Naval Beach Group 1 trains USS Essex Sailors

7th Fleet News

Release Date: 9/25/2003

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

ABOARD USS ESSEX AT SEA -- A five-member team from Naval Beach Group (NBG) 1 recently provided two weeks of amphibious specialty training (AST) for select Sailors aboard USS Essex (LHD 2).

AST teaches well-deck crews basic skills in handling amphibious landing craft such as rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB), amphibious assault vehicles (AAV), combat ready raiding craft (CRRC) and both the landing craft, air cushioned (LCAC) and landing craft, utility (LCU).

This is the third trip to Essex for Master Chief Boatswain's Mate (SW) Steven Frye, senior LCAC observer for NBG-1. He emphasized that the annual training is not designed to spotlight deficiencies, but to help the crew maintain a safe, professional work environment despite a busy operational schedule.

The visit began with classroom sessions, followed by training in the well deck. Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class (SW/AW) Padraig Monahan said he enjoyed his first chance to train with AAVs and CRRCs.

"They did a great job of teaching and observing, and their briefs and debriefs were precise," Monahan said. "They let us know where we made mistakes, but never actually got involved in the evolution. They were just there to observe and that's what made the training great. I saw a lot of improvement in our well deck operations."

Frye said crews are generally open to his team's form of training because it ultimately helps their mission readiness.

"That's why people don't mind us coming to train them," said Frye "We understand that they have more to worry about than just our process."

Chief Boatswain's Mate (SW) Otis Wesley, who has dedicated more than 15 years of his career to sea duty, said he jumped at the opportunity to join NBG-1.

"This has been rewarding because I am able to remain proficient in my rating, and I also get the chance to work at the deckplate level and pass my knowledge and experience on to the seaman at the very basic phase of training," said Wesley.

Besides providing basic amphibious training and amphibious specialty training, NBG-1 develops and evaluates proposed changes to amphibious doctrine procedures and equipment, and provides LCAC standardization and well deck certification.

The Essex is forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan, as part of the Navy's only permanently forward deployed amphibious force.