USS Stockdale, US Coast Guard Conduct Boarding Exercise

Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class David Cox | 160725-N-KM939-737: PACIFIC OCEAN (July 25, 2016) - Coast Guardsmen from the USCG cutter Stratton (WMSL 752) go over the ship's logs with Lt. j.g. Daniel Alden, from Tallahassee, Florida, aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG 106) during a VBSS (Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure) exercise for Rim of the Pacific 2016. Twenty-six nations, 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 30 to Aug. 4, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2016 is the 25th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class David A. Cox/Released)  

PACIFIC OCEAN

07.25.2016

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class David Cox 

Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet           

PACIFIC OCEAN – Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stockdale’s (DDG 106) Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure team and U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCG Stratton’s (WMSL 752) Maritime Security Response Team performed their third joint boarding exercise, July 25.

The Coast Guard utilizes MSRTs to provide an advanced interdiction force for higher-risk law enforcement and counter-terrorism operations under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security.

Stratton’s team consists of nine maritime law enforcement specialists. Six of them boarded Stockdale, which acted as a merchant vessel suspected of smuggling during the exercise.

“We came on board and pretty much did a standard administrative boarding, since the ship was suspected of smuggling,” said Maritime Enforcement Specialist 1st Class Hugo Paz. “We had to frisk everybody and muster the crew amidships, stand security over the people that were mustered, and talk to the Captain and check documentation.”

Lt. j.g. Daniel Alden, who played the role of the ship’s master operator during the evolution, said having Stockdale’s VBSS team interact with the MSRT allows both teams to learn significantly from each other.

“I love working with the Coast Guard … they’re incredibly proficient at this, because this is one of their main operations,” said Alden. “They deal with the law enforcement side more than we do, but we go places that they typically don’t. It’s always good to get practice with them to see how they operate, so that we can tailor fit our boarding procedures.”

The exercise allowed both Stratton and Stockdale to improve boarding techniques and procedures, which will ultimately help the Coast Guard and Navy refine their maritime interdiction operations.

Twenty-six nations, 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 30 to Aug. 4, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea-lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2016 is the 25th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

For more information, visit https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/RIMPAC

• Date Taken: 07.25.2016
• Date Posted: 07.30.2016 18:58
• Story ID: 205592
• Location: PACIFIC OCEAN