Photo By Chief Petty Officer Janweb Lagazo | 160616-N-CL027-425 MEDITERRANEAN SEA (June 16, 2016) Cmdr. Christopher J. Gilbertson,...... read more read more
By Fire Controlman 3rd Class Cody J. Fischer, USS Mason (DDG 87) Public Affairs
MEDITERRANEAN SEA (NNS) -- Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87), assigned to the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (Ike CSG), and Italian frigate ITS Carlo Margottini (F529) performed a joint international visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) exercise, June 15.
Five VBSS members assigned to Mason were selected to travel to Carlo Margottini to help promote international relations and cooperation.
VBSS teams specialize in inspecting suspicious vessels in their ship's area of responsibility (AOR) while underway. Teams have been known to find and apprehend illegal drugs, weapons, and other types of contraband aboard unknown vessels. The presence of ships and their respective teams play a vital role in American forces regulating and protecting known merchant areas in an effort to secure maritime sea lanes.
"Cross-training is always good", said Lt. Edoardo Luzzi, commander of the Italian Navy Amphibious Brigade Second Regiment Marines (San Marco). "We do things differently, but can always learn from each other. I have specialized in maritime marine operations including VBSS. My favorite part of all my work and training is the close quarters combat."
Luzzi has received training in the United States in courses at Camp Pendleton and Eglin Air Force Base.
San Marco and Carlo Margottini hosted Mason's VBSS team and shared best practices on boarding scenarios, emphasizing the comparison between planning and attacking methods. The two teams' tactics proved similar, yet each brought differences which served to improve their efficiency.
"It was an awesome experience with another country that went great," said Ship's Serviceman 3rd Class Marcel Bird, a member of Mason's VBSS team. "We should continue exercises like this because it creates stronger ties with countries we are working with. I felt the camaraderie start to build with the Italians as soon as we got on board. The hospitality they showed us is something I will never forget."
The VBSS exercise was part of a multi-day joint international exercise between elements of Ike's CSG's Great Green Fleet and the Italian Navy's Flotta Verde to further highlight energy conservation technologies and emphasize our enduring partnership with Italy.
Mason is part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (Ike CSG) which is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe. Ike CSG includes USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON 26) and ships USS San Jacinto (CG 56), USS Monterey (CG 61), USS Stout (DDG 55), USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), USS Nitze (DDG 94) and Mason.
For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil/, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy/, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy/.
For more news from USS Mason (DDG 87), visit
http://www.navy.mil/local/ddg87/ or http://www.facebook.com/MASONDDG87/.
For more news from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), visit http://www.navy.mil/local/cvn69/.
| Date Taken: | 06.16.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.24.2016 13:52 |
| Story ID: | 202401 |
| Location: | MEDITERRANEAN SEA |
| Web Views: | 148 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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