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ACB 1 Participates in Operational Evaluation

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060526-05
Release Date: 5/26/2006 7:51:00 AM

By Photographer’s Mate Airman John Ciccarelli, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific

CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- Sailors from Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 1 participated in an operational evaluation of the Improved Navy Lighterage System (INLS) throughout May.

INLS is a floating dock designed to reach locations where traditional port facilities may be damaged, inadequate or non-existent. The purposes of the evaluation were to determine if the INLS met the requirements of the Navy and to provide Sailors a practical idea of the reliability of the INLS in a theater of operation.

“The mission of the new INLS is to support naval and allied forces with a safer, more versatile way to deliver vehicles and critical supplies from ship to shore during war or peacetime operations,” said Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class William Garcia of ACB 1. “This operation gives Sailors from ACB 1 in different areas of specialty the opportunity to work together toward one goal.”

ACB 1’s goal was to safely move cargo from shore to sea and evaluate INLS' compatibility with a variety of equipment and skills of the Sailors.

“This training makes enhances our speed while making our job more streamlined toward our objective,” said Construction Mechanic 1st Class (SCW/SW/AW) Harvest Right. “It also opens a lot more possibilities for Sailors to understand the variety of equipment used in these operations.”

ACB 1 Sailors practiced their various skills with the INLS through operations such as loading and unloading supplies, repairing machinery, assembling at sea, and performing roll-off discharges off the front platforms.

“We’ve been concentrating on ways to make our mission safer for our Sailors by giving them the opportunity to learn new skills with this type of equipment,” said Capt. Keith Hamilton, commanding officer of ACB 1. “Experience is the key for future missions with this type of lighterage.”