JULY 7, 2023 – Earlier this week, Marines assigned to Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team Company Central facilitated a Close-Quarters Battle Subject Matter Expert Exchange with Sailors and Soldiers aboard Naval Support Activity Bahrain. U.S. Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia Maritime Engagement Team hosted the exchange in their “ship-in-the-box” training facility aboard the installation.
U.S Navy Sailors assigned to Naval Security Force Bahrain, and U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to Task Force Blackjack, U.S. Army Central Command’s Crisis Response Task Force worked together with FASTCENT Marines to individually display how different obstacles encountered in a CQB environment can be overcome.
The SMEE allowed for the service members to share tactics, techniques, and procedures while increasing interoperability amongst units. The units present at the training have worked together operationally and may work together in the future in response to real-world crises within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
“Overall, this SMEE is important due to interoperability between different units but also to allow personnel to foster a learning environment that increases mutual proficiency in the profession of arms, and garners confidence from each team in its adjacent units…” Capt. Rico Rodriguez, a FASTCENT Platoon Commander
The training began with the fundamentals of CQB, including individual movement, identifying interior terrain, door procedures, and room entry. It further progressed to more advanced concepts such as room clearing, hallway procedures, stairwells, opposing danger areas and detainee procedures and scenarios.
The exercise culminated in a force-on-force scenario-based final exercise that required personnel to problem solve utilizing best practices and methods learned over a three-day period.
“Overall, this SMEE is important due to interoperability between different units but also to allow personnel to foster a learning environment that increases mutual proficiency in the profession of arms, and garners confidence from each team in its adjacent units,” said Capt. Rico Rodriguez, a FASTCENT Platoon Commander. “We are now more able to mutually support one another as Americans serving in the CENTCOM region.”
FASTCENT’s mission is to provide rapid response expeditionary anti-terrorism and security forces in order to protect vital naval and national assets, and to conduct other limited duration contingency operations as directed in support of U.S. Central Command. FASTCENT Marines are trained to deploy tactical forces, conduct anti-terrorism operations, conduct ground security operations, and conduct embassy reinforcement.
By Cpl. Angela Wilcox
5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade