NCWGRU 1 Units Complete Final Training Evaluation
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS050628-08
Release Date: 6/28/2005 1:18:00 PM
By Journalist Seaman Joseph Caballero, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Inshore Boat Unit (IBU) 14 from St. Louis and Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit (MIUWU) 101 from Everett, Wash., completed their final evaluation exercise June 21 off the coast of Southern California.
The exercise tested the crews’ readiness and certified them ready for their upcoming deployment to the Persian Gulf.
During the exercise, the units escorted and protected ships from opposition forces, and were tested on their restraint and response to boats entering restricted waters.
“We want to make sure that the core mission areas they will be responsible for (in the Persian Gulf) are well covered – meaning high value asset protection both underway and pier side,” said Chief Boatswain’s Mate Steve Johnson, from Naval Coastal Warfare Group (NCWGRU) 1, the command observing and grading the exercise.
“Ever since the (USS) Cole and Sept. 11, force protection missions have come to the forefront. This is one of the primary missions in the Navy right now,” said Johnson. “These units are responsible for a lot of lives in the Gulf, so the skills we’ve given them help them be sharp and ready to go.”
Both units trained together for a month and a half leading up to this evaluation. The commanding officer of MIUWU 101, Cmdr. Andrew Howard, said both units are ready.
“Today’s training went well and the group performed admirably,” said Howard. “Training is critical, because you won’t have enough time during a firefight to make decisions that must be made on a second’s notice.”
When the units deploy in July, they will support Maritime Security Operations in the Persian Gulf, which help set conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment and help complement counter-terrorism and security efforts there.
The IBUs operate 34-foot and 32-foot boats. Both boats come with a variety of crew-served weapons.
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