FAST Marines conduct embassy engagement exercise in Vilnius, Lithuania

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Gaither | 190403-N-OX430-192 VILNIUS, LITHUANIA (April 3, 2019) Lance Corporals Seth Bechtel and Benjamin Lowther, assigned to Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team (FAST) Company Europe, teach first-aid techniques to children at the American International School of Vilnius, April 3, 2019. FAST Company Marines, stationed in Rota, Spain, are conducting an Embassy Engagement Exercise in Vilnius, Lithuania that aims to strengthen the relationship and interoperability between U.S. military and Department of State personnel. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Gaither/Released)  

VILNIUS, LITHUANIA

05.06.2019

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Gaither  

AFN Rota

Marines assigned to Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team Company, Europe (FASTEUR), traveled to the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, April 1st, to conduct an Embassy Engagement Exercise. Whether called upon in response to civil unrest, diplomatic fallout, or heightened terror threats, FAST Company’s mission is to mitigate, deescalate, or reduce potential threats to Department of State property and personnel.
Exercises like this provide FASTEUR Marines the opportunity to assess interoperability with embassy security forces and build relationships with the Department of State.
“I know that it is a strong desire for FAST Companies around the world to engage more Department of State personnel and embassies.” said Marine Capt. Ross Allen, FAST Company Platoon Commander, “We know that we don’t want the first time we have a conversation or see each other be in a time of crisis.”
While this is the third embassy engagement exercise FASTEUR has conducted in 2019, this is the first time an exercise like this has occurred at U.S. Embassy Vilnius, taking months of coordination between representatives from United States European Command (EUCOM), FAST Company, and the U.S. Embassy.
FAST Company performed cross training throughout the week with the Embassy’s local guard force, Marine Security Guard (MSG) Marines, as well as the embassy staff and their families in self-defense, surveillance detection and emergency medical response.
“I’d like to put our MSGs at ease, knowing that the FAST platoon can responded expeditiously to wherever they are in the world,” said Andres Barcenas, the Regional Security Officer (RSO) at U.S. Embassy Vilnius. “Knowing that they have a platoon ready to get out there and help them augment security in times of crisis, I think, was really helpful.”
FAST Platoon’s two martial arts instructors gave self-defense training to the embassy staff and family members and taught more advanced martial arts and apprehension techniques to the security forces.
Their combat marksmanship coaches and trainers provided the MSG Marines with realistic live-fire training in real-world scenarios they could face while defending an embassy. They handled multiple weapons systems, practiced movement while shooting, and transitioning drills until it became muscle memory.
FAST Marines also assisted their MSG counterparts in mass-casualty and active shooter drills within the embassy compound.
Anne Hall, the U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania, even took time to pin Corporal Fernando Martinez, assigned to FAST Company, and Sergeant Alyssa Vondras, assigned to MSG Detachment Vilnius, in a special promotion ceremony. Ambassador Hall showed her appreciation for the training the FASTEUR Marines were providing her staff.
“The Ambassador has been extremely supportive this week and the embassy personnel have dedicated a lot of their time to participate in all the training this week,” said Allen. “Through their efforts this entire exercise has been extremely smooth.”
During the middle of the exercise, FAST Platoon’s medical team also took time to teach first-aid techniques to children and teenagers at the American International School of Vilnius.
The eventful week was a success, ending with a friendly basketball game between FASTEUR Marines and the Embassy staff and encouraging future engagements between the two.
“When you think about hosting a platoon of Marines and Sailors at your embassy, you don’t know what that means, what capabilities you have, but what I think that we’ve learned here is that the platoon is completely self-sufficient, they run on auto-pilot, the training that they provide is relevant, needed and helpful,” said Barcenas. “So for those RSOs out there, or embassies or consulates that are thinking about hosting a platoon of Marines, I would definitely recommend it.”
FAST Platoons are deployed to Rota, Spain to stand alert for contingency operations and conduct rapid response expeditionary anti-terrorism and security operations in support of Commanders, United States European Command (COMUSEUCOM) and Africa Command (COMUSAFRICOM), in order to protect vital naval and national assets.

• Date Taken: 05.06.2019
• Date Posted: 12.17.2019 04:54
• Story ID: 355945
• Location: VILNIUS, LT