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Philippine Sea VBSS Team Breaks the Language Barrier

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080307-22
Release Date: 3/7/2008 2:15:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Ryan Steinhour, Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group Public Affairs

USS PHILIPPINE, At Sea (NNS) -- Guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea's (CG 58) visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team is armed with more than weapons in achieving their mission.

Overcoming an armed adversary is just one obstacle this team is trained to overcome. Another, and at times more difficult challenge, is for the members of the boarding team to be understood by members of the boarded vessel. VBSS teams frequently encounter Sailors whose native language is not English, and overcoming the language barrier is often a deciding factor in the success of their operations.

Philippine Sea's VBSS team has undergone extensive training in Arabic, a language spoken by over 200 million people in 28 countries. The team willingly sacrificed part of their pre-deployment leave period so that they could properly hone their language skills for two-weeks in Mayport, Fla., Philippine Sea's homeport. The language training was also supplemented by instruction in Middle Eastern culture and lifestyles. Additionally, an instructor from the Defense Language Institute was embarked on Philippine Sea to conduct classes during their trans-Atlantic crossing.

"Basic Arabic expands our ability to assess danger with less confusion," said Ensign Gavin Whittle, Philippine Sea's force protection officer. "Sometimes crew members might not respond to direction solely because they don't understand English. We are trying to prevent that from happening."

Having the ability to give orders and be understood is one hurdle that the language training is helping this team overcome.

"Our boarding members will be able to direct personnel and inspect a vessel using, for the most part, simple, short phrases and questions," said Whittle.

"It's good to know so that we can have some basic communications with the crew," said Damage Controlman 3rd Class Kiel Durrant.

While operating in the Navy's 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility there may come a time that boarding a craft is necessary.

"A lot of the time we're sent there to check their crew, and make sure everyone on their ship's manifest is accounted for," said Durrant. "That they don't have any stowaways, and the cargo they say they have is legitimate."

When the VBSS team boards a craft they are not only looking for drugs and weapons but also persons of interest, intelligence and anything that could be deemed potentially helpful to a terrorist cause. If some or all of these factors come into play, a misunderstanding could escalate into a situation that could have been avoided with communication.

"When Arabic speakers realize we are attempting their language, it calms a situation that might otherwise be extremely tense," said Whittle.

The training has allowed these Sailors to focus on learning key words to help them avoid potentially disastrous events. Durrant explained, "If we hear something about weapons, a bomb, or an explosion, we'll automatically shift our mindsets to a non-compliant boarding and go from there."

Proper planning and training has prepared this VBSS team to not only defeat the tactical barriers when they meet it head-on, but to also overcome most language challenges they may face in the 5th Fleet area of operations.

Philippine Sea is currently deployed with the Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group to the Navy's 6th Fleet area of operation to support Maritime Security Operations and Theater Security Cooperation efforts.

For more news from Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, visit www.navy.mil/local/esg8/.