Expeditionary Sailors from U.S., Guatemala Share Combat Skills
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS090917-25
Release Date: 9/17/2009 4:11:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SCW) Paul D. Williams, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command
SAN JOSE, Guatemala (NNS) -- Five Sailors with Expeditionary Training Command (ETC) based at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va., in Guatemala to build a partnership with the Guatemalan Naval Special Forces and provide training in various expeditionary skills.
The three-week mission for this Mobile Training Team (MTT) includes training in visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) techniques, appropriate use of force, mission planning, close-quarters battle scenarios and live-fire exercises.
According to Lt. Gabriel Marroquin, boat officer for the Guatemalan Naval Special Forces, most of the operations in which the Guatemalan Navy participates are anti-drug and weapons trafficking missions. They patrol the waters, conduct up to eight boardings in a month, seize narcotics and other contraband.
According to Lt. Charles Egli, officer in charge of the MTT, ETC is here to help the Guatemalans build upon their maritime security capabilities.
"I and my other officers have trained with ETC in the past," said Marroquin. "So we asked them to come to Guatemala and train our junior troops so that they would be at the same skill level as us."
Although this MTT's mission is to train the Guatemalan Naval Special Forces, Egli said there is a lot that his team can learn from the Guatemalan Special Forces.
"They have a lot more experience doing non-compliant boardings," said Egli. "In my 40 boardings, I have never run into any problems from a crew trying to resist."
"There are so many countries out there that can offer something to Global Maritime Security," said Etgli. "So it really behooves us to get out there and see what we can do to improve their capabilities on the water."
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