WP-MCMEX 06 Begins in Malaysia
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS060608-05
Release Date: 6/8/2006 10:08:00 AM
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Adam R. Cole, Task Force 76 Public Affairs
MALAYSIA (NNS) -- The multinational Malaysian-sponsored Western Pacific Mine Countermeasures Exercise (WP-MCMEX) 2006 began here with an opening ceremony at Lumut Naval Base and tours of participating nations' ships at Kuantan Naval Base June 6.
The 3rd annual WP-MCMEX focuses on enhancing cooperation among Western Pacific Symposium (WPNS) navies and maritime safety by conduction detection and identification procedures that may be used in the future to keep important international waterways open.
The United States is being represented by forward-deployed mine sweeper USS Patriot (MCM 7), and is one of twelve ships from six countries participating in the at-sea portion of the exercise. Those countries include Republic of Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Australia and Malaysia. A number of countries have sent officers to observe the exercise, including Canada, China, Brunei, Thailand, India and Vietnam among others.
“We are quite honored to be here,” said Lt. Cmdr. Richard Brawley, Patriot’s commanding officer, who was in Lumut with the 11 other commanding officers of the participating ships. “In joining the other skippers [here in] Lumut, I can already see the friendships and bonds that are there from previous exercises and ones that are quickly forming from this one. I know that sort of navy-to-navy camaraderie will carry down to each crew.”
Brawley’s thoughts were evident as personnel from each navy traveled around the basin at Kuantan Naval Base to compare and contrast each nation’s MCM vessel as part of the ship tour sessions.
Running two tours at one point—during the opening day, Patriot’s deck plates became flooded with visitors. Each ship tour - both on Patriot and other MCM ships - consisted of showing visitors the bridge, mine sweep equipment, galley, berthing and medical areas.
“This is a nice ship. I am very impressed with its sophistication,” said Leading Handler Dolah Ridzwan, of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), during the ship tour aboard Patriot. Ridzqan is the equivalent of a second class petty officer in the U.S. Navy and a leading radio operator aboard his ship. “I am glad to be able to welcome the U.S. and other countries to Malaysia for this exercise.”
Patriot crew members were just as enthused to host the different navies aboard their ship and sensed togetherness in the activities.
“It is great to see how eager they are to observe our ship,” said Chief Electrician’s Mate (SW) Noel Corneja, of Patriot, who led at least seven tours on the day. “Though we are meeting for the first time, it is like we are long-lost friends. I know when I go to their ship, they will be extra courteous to me, so I extend the same kindness when they come aboard mine.”
The WPNS, established in 1988, is a consortium of 18 nations and four observer nations that convene bi-annually to discuss regional and global maritime issues. Nearly all of these countries are present at WP-MCMEX, which seeks to provide the practical platform for the cooperative emphasis of the WPNS.
Patriot is a Mine Countermeasures ship forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan. Patriot and USS Guardian (MCM 5) serve under Task Force 76, which serves as the Seventh Fleet’s Mine Countermeasures arm in forward-deployed operations. The ship and embarked Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5, Detachment (Det) 51 are currently deployed in Southeast Asia to support the Seventh Fleet’s interoperability and training commitments in mine neutralization warfare and maritime operations.
For more information on CTF 76, visit www.ctf76.navy.mil.
For more info on WP-MCMEX, visit www.mindef.gov.sg/navy/wpns_mcm/.
For related news, visit the Commander, Amphibious Force, U.S. 7th Fleet Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/ctf76/.
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