Guam Sailors Enhance Infantry Skills with Visiting Marines

SANTA RITA, Guam (NNS) -- Sailors from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 trained with Marines from Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team, Pacific Company (FASTPAC), Bravo 1 Platoon on infantry combat and riot control skills on U.S. Naval Base Guam Jan. 9.

Sixty Sailors trained with 54 Marines on shooting with M4 assault rifles and the M240-B machine gun, close-quarter combat techniques, Marine Corps martial arts and non-lethal riot control techniques.

FASTPAC companies maintain forward-deployed presence around the world in order to quickly respond to crises. The normal duties of the FAST Marines are to detect, deter and defend against terrorist activities, but they are frequently tasked to provide anti-terrorism and weapons training to other security personnel.

The Marines from FASTPAC, Bravo 1 Platoon, which is forward-deployed to Commander, 7th Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan, led the training, but they were also here on Guam to work on their own infantry skills and site security.

"The Seabees are getting training, the Marines are training," said Marine Capt. Jeremy Nelson, platoon commander of FASTPAC, Bravo 1 Platoon. "But also they're helping each other and training together and building that camaraderie."

FASTPAC, Bravo 1 Platoon had already worked with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 5 and Naval Special Warfare Unit 1 during their two-week visit, and planned to train with Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 7 Jan. 10-11.

Naval Mobile Construction Battalions often deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan to provide contingency construction support, and must keep their combat skills sharp. The first part of the Seabees' motto is "We build." The second part is "We fight."

"We're self-supporting as far as our defense goes," said Lt. David McCoy, assistant officer-in-charge and operations officer of the Guam detail of NMCB 1. "Our biggest clients are the Marines and special forces, but whenever we go out, we are required to provide our own security — when we go out and build for them."

While NMCB 1 does annual infantry skills qualifications, working with the Marines allowed them to broaden their skill set.

"This is more in depth, so we can take this, and add it to the skills we already have," said Chief Builder (SCW) Nicholas Hoffman.

One of the in-depth exercises Hoffman was referring to involved a mile run, a set of push-ups, and then shoots from 300, 200, and 100 meters out from a target.

"It's called combat training to get your heart rate up to what it is in combat," Hoffman said. "This is close as we can get."


For more news from U.S. Naval Forces, Marianas, visit www.navy.mil/local/guam/.