• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Naval Coastal Warfare Squadron 33 Deploys in Support of OIF

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050421-09
Release Date: 4/21/2005 7:10:00 PM

By Journalist 2nd Class Paul Cage, San Diego Public Affairs Center

CAMP PATRIOT, Kuwait (NNS) -- Naval Coastal Warfare Squadron (NCWRON) 33 from Naval Coastal Warfare Group (NCWGRU) 1 deployed to Kuwait April 14 to relieve NCWRON 25 of NCWGRU 2, which is scheduled to return to Norfolk later this month.

During their deployment, NCW squadrons provide harbor and port security for ships pulling into Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and U.S. 5th Fleet missions.

Capt. Donald McMackin, commodore, Naval Coastal Warfare Squadron 33, said their mission here is to support the troops in Iraq by ensuring the supplies needed there arrive safely.

“The main focus in Iraq is rebuilding the country,” said McMackin. “For us in Naval Coastal Warfare, we are the transition point from the water to the land. It’s our responsibility to make sure everything going into Iraq, which is 90 to 95 percent of the materials, make it from the water to the land.”

NCW squadrons are primarily comprised of Naval and Coast Guard Reservists who provide seaward security with patrol boats, as well as using sensor platforms that provide a technical picture of the ports and harbors they operate in.

NCWRON 33 has been training for the last six weeks preparing mentally and physically for their deployment. Now that they are in Kuwait, they will go through a brief indoctrination period before assuming full responsibility of operations.

McMackin said NCWRON 33 is ready to get settled in and get the mission done.

“NCWRON 25 has been doing an outstanding job the last eight months,” said McMackin. “Now that we are here, we are going to give the mission a fresh set of eyes. We are going to look at where we might be able to improve and build on the mission of NCWRON 25.”

NCWGRU 1 is homeported in San Diego. NCWRON 33 is comprised of reserve units from Seattle and Spokane, Wash., and San Pedro, Calif., and is scheduled to be in Kuwait for eight months.