Protect the ship! That is what the Sailors selected to support USS George Washington's (CVN 73) security department are required to do 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"A requirement that we have for our new TAD [temporary assigned duty] Sailors is that they are highly motivated," said Master-At-Arms 1st Class Alan Anderson. "They must be willing to excel and have a drive to learn. What we don't want are Sailors who are stagnant and not wanting to improve themselves."

Sailors who fit the bill and are chosen by their departmental leading chief petty officer (DLCPO), attend the Security Reaction Forces Bravo (SRF-B) course, which is held at Huntington Hall, a barracks building located in Newport News, Virginia. It is two and a half to three weeks of training. The first week consists of non-lethal combat skills, culminating in a final five-station course during which Sailors are sprayed with OC spray and put their skills to the test to face off against the "Red Man." SRF-B also focuses on weapons familiarization, specifically the M9 service pistol and the M16 service rifle. In the final lesson, the Sailors are graded on a live gun range on their proficiency of the two weapons.

"Everything that you learned in the Bravo course is what you'll be doing every day you work," said Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Danielle Cruz. "So be sure to retain what you learned because it will help get the qualifications you will need to advance in security."

While the TAD has an important mission, the Sailor doesn't have to stay with security for their entire sea tour.

"If a department has a Sailor in security they want back, they have to provide someone to replace that person," said Anderson. "That department's DLCPO communicates with our master chief and we attempt to put them in an upcoming SRF-B course and finalize the swap after graduation."

Sailors interested in joining security can contact their chain-of-command for additional SRF-B requirements.

For more from USS George Washington, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/cvn73/.