NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain –
Marines assigned to Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Company, Europe (FASTEUR), a part of Navy Expeditionary Combat Force Europe-Africa/Task Force (CTF) 68, conducted security training, Jan. 22-25, at the E. Austin Koth Urban Training Complex on board Naval Station Rota, Spain.
During the training, Marines practiced exterior tactics, interior tactics, fragmentary grenade employment, and high value asset (HVA) recovery.
“We train to provide security for different missions, such as embassy security, ship security and ship support,” said Capt. Rickie Young, Bravo Company 6 Platoon, platoon commander. “The training we are conducting here allows us to practice these tactics, along with building proficiency with grenades, and simulating recovering an HVA.”
Proficiency in security efforts and recovery tactics is crucial to FASTEUR’s mission while supporting 6th Fleet operations in Europe and Africa.
“Interior and exterior tactics are definitely skills that you can lose if you don’t constantly do it. We try to be as creative as possible when keeping these skills up,” said Sgt. Robert Kohler, squad leader. “This is a new environment for us. We’ve never been at this facility before, so there’s no ‘gaming the game.’”
The training culminated with a simulated rescue and recovery operation, where the Marines were tasked to recover an ambassador from a hostile area, utilizing all the skills they trained on, as well as simunition rounds and training hand grenades.
“The end-state objective is to make sure our Marines understand room clearance procedures, moving building to building, and follow-on actions once the area is cleared,” Kohler said. “After the training, everyone is confident regarding military urban operations at the individual level and at the team level, and consolidating after the objective is secured.”
CTF 68 provides explosive ordnance disposal operations, naval construction, expeditionary security, and theater security efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.
For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/naveur/.