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USS Harpers Ferry, Philippine Navy Participate in VBSS Exercise

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100316-31
Release Date: 3/16/2010 10:22:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Andrew Smith, Commander, Amphibious Force, U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

USS HARPERS FERRY, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors from the forward-deployed amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) participated in a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) drill with a Philippine Navy Special Warfare Group (SWAG) aboard the BPR Dagupan City (LC 551) March 13.

During the exercise, Dagupan City, a Philippine ship, played the role of a non-compliant ship.

The two VBSS teams used rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB) to come along side Dagupan City, attaching hook ladders (rope ladders attached to an extendable pole) to climb from water level up to the ship's deck.

"My team did a phenomenal job," said Lt. j.g. Jonathan Greenwald, Harpers Ferry's boarding officer. "They did a good job climbing the hook ladder even though it was only the second time we had used it. Then both groups found their way to their objective and recovered the contraband."

Before the actual boarding exercise took place, the Philippine SWAG team, as well as the Dagupan City's crew, were brought aboard Harpers Ferry, where the U.S. VBSS team demonstrated the types of equipment and techniques they use.

"This was a good learning experience," said Greenwald. "This was our first time on a foreign ship, and we had to deal with a new set of challenges, such as not being familiar with the layout, but we accomplished our goal."

Once aboard, the six-man team from the Harpers Ferry checked crew and cargo manifests for irregularities, interviewed Filipino Sailors role playing as a civilian crew and searched the ship for contraband.

"This was my first time directly working with a foreign country's military in a joint operation," said Fire Controlman 2nd Class Travius Caldwell, Harpers Ferry's anti-terrorism training supervisor. "I hope I can take what I learned and share some of that knowledge with the other guys on the ship."

Caldwell was the first member of the VBSS team on the deck of the Dagupan City. As the VBSS team lead man, he had to secure the ladder and provide cover for the other team members as they made their way over the railing.

The VBSS exercise was part of Balikatan 2010, an annual, bilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability between the United States and the Philippines.