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Army Preps Navy IAs for Detainee Ops in Iraq

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090325-25
Release Date: 3/25/2009 11:11:00 PM

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Eric Harrison, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Northwest

FORT LEWIS, Wash. (NNS) -- More than 100 individual augmentee Sailors departed Fort Lewis, Wash., March 19, en route Iraq, following more than two months of advanced warrior skills and mission-specific training.

The Sailors participated in detainee operations training and prepared to deploy to Iraq while at Fort Lewis, near Tacoma, Wash. Navy Provisional Detainee Battalion 6 Command Master Chief Homer Stinson said the Army instructors were really good to the Sailors training there.

"We've got instructors who really appreciate the fact that you've got some enthusiastic Navy students who are looking at something outside of our normal swim lane," said Stinson. "As a result of that, they take the extra time to make sure we get the extra instruction that we need. The Sailors have really appreciated that."

Army Sgt. Maj. James Duquette, of the 191st Infantry Brigade at Fort Lewis, said the Sailors have been great.

"They come in here wide-eyed and wanting to learn and they are hungry for the information," said Duquette, a Sacramento, Calif.,-area native.

Duquette also emphasized the importance of the advanced warrior skills training the Sailors received from the Army.

"They need to be proficient at firing their weapons, simply to protect themselves," he said. "Every Soldier, Sailor and Airman needs to be proficient at these skills that we're teaching today. It's critical, for every person that goes (to Iraq)."

Although the Sailors will be performing detainee operations missions, not all of them come from a background in security.

"In this particular unit, we've got two people who are masters at arms, everybody else comes from ratings as diverse as sonar technicians, aviation ratings and a builder," said Stinson. "We are scattered and have a lot of variety."

Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center (ECRC), Detachment Fort Lewis is responsible for supporting the Sailors while they are training there, and then ECRC retains responsibility for each Sailor as they complete their assignment in Iraq.

ECRC Commanding Officer, Capt. Jeff McKenzie said that ECRC has grown considerably over the past three years in both scope of responsibility and expertise in conducting the mission. It is part of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command.

"We're now pushing forward about 10,000 Sailors a year and providing excellent support to them and their families," said McKenzie, who has been at the helm of ECRC since its inception.

"That's important to remember because when the Sailor goes forward and we're putting them in a combat services support role in support of the Army or joint forces or even coalition forces forward deployed in a combat zone, it's important that Sailor understands the Navy remains there for them."