Courtesy Photo | Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Dana Schmitt with Maritime Safety and Security...... read more read more
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GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — Once a year, Coast Guard members from Maritime Safety and Security Team 91101 Seattle are required to perform a live-fire weapons qualifications while under way, to hone their skills and maintain unit readiness while supporting Joint Task Force Guantanamo and the anti-terrorism force protection mission.
Using a floating target outside the boundaries of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Guardians of MSST Seattle recently performed machine gun force-of-fire qualifications.
"It's an annual requirement for the mission that we do," said Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Joshua A. Mann, waterside chief for MSST Seattle. "It's a really good exercise for communication between the machine gunner and the coxswain driving the boat."
Each team member must perform a personal qualification prior to shooting from the boat — a task that is necessary to keep the Guardians proficient in their skills.
"We are doing our gunnery exercise so that we as operators are able to clear any malfunctions while we are out there on the water," Mann said. "Then we are evaluated by the gunner's mate when we go out and [complete] the gunnery exercise."
Within the MSST there are two divisions: landside and waterside security. Both divisions need to be familiar with how the weapon works so they can proficiently troubleshoot the machine gun in case of misfires or other problems that might arise while out on the open water.
"[As a gunner], if you have any misfires while shooting, it's your job to clear them and communicate with the coxswain your intention and what's going on," said Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class James L. Greene.
The Coast Guard's boats — called Response Boat, Small — are armed with .40-caliber and .50-caliber machine guns.
"When I heard that I was going to be able to fire the .50-caliber for the first time, I wrote home telling my parents just how excited I [was] about shooting the machine gun," Green said. "It's something I've been looking forward to since I got here."
It takes a lot of organization between naval station security, marine operations and the MSST prior to rolling out to perform the live fire exercise. During the live-fire exercise, a five-mile safety zone is in place keeping everyone out of harms way. As the exercise is conducted, the Coast Guard maintains constant contact with the Coast Guard communications center, ashore.
"It's very important to get [service members] the essential training between the coxswain and the gunner," said Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Dustin Dunfee, the armory supervisor for MSST Seattle. "The coxswain deals with the radios and driving and makes sure the gun is pointing in the right direction. The gunner has to keep in contact [with] the coxswain at all times."
The safety of both military and civilian personnel is of utmost importance when dealing with any kind of live-fire exercise.
"We [constantly] broadcast to mariners locally throughout the bay [as well as] outside the bay to notify them of the [live fire exercise]," said Coast Guard Lt. Patrick Hayes, operations officer for MSST Seattle. "Safety is paramount; it usually takes about a month of planning."
For more information about Joint Task Force Guantanamo, visit the Web site at www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil.
| Date Taken: | 07.10.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 07.13.2009 13:23 |
| Story ID: | 36313 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: | 317 |
| Downloads: | 265 |
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