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"We are Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team Pacific. We belong to the Marine Corps security force regiment back in Norfolk, Virginia," said 1st Sgt. Daniel Martensson, Company First Sergeant of FASTPAC. "Out here, we have a permanent personnel base of about 20 people. We rotate a platoon from Yorktown every six months, depending on rotation times that can often change. They typically get a summer and a winter here, and we support the U.S. 7th Fleet. Anything and everything of National or Naval interest from an installation standpoint, we provide security. We have the ability to launch guys out in small teams up to the company size, and the whole company can deploy if necessary. We're the bridging point between a ‘something happened’ and the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) is coming in to help provide security and take over the situation where the guys that can get there quickly and bridge that gap."
Martensson also sheds light on the unit's mission, capabilities, and unique position within the military's broader security apparatus.
"We do a little bit of everything," said Martensson. "So when people think of Marine FAST team, for the most part, they think of the FAST of the early 80s and late 90s, which was mainly embassy support. We do all of that and more. All of our marines here at trained infantry Marines, and they haven't lost that baseline. So we can provide defensive capabilities to whoever needs it, whether U.S. Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) or the U.S. 7th Fleet. We're not just embassy support. We provide security for anything."
Despite their integral role, Martensson describes the unit as often unknown to many on the base.
"Obviously, we have interactions with the U.S. 7th Fleet," said Martensson. "We also have interactions with individual installations. However, it's always interesting to walk around, and many people still do not know that there are Marines permanently stationed here, and we've been permanently stationed here for years. This whole building used to be Marine Corps barracks."
Due to its long-standing history onboard CFAY, FASTPAC Marine personnel forge relationships with the U.S. 7th Fleet and other installations while maintaining a low profile. The unit's presence dates back years, with lineage photos displayed at the base's Tavern telling the story of its long-standing history.
FASTPAC operates under the U.S. 7th Fleet to support embarked security teams with naval assets while providing anti-terrorism and security operations primarily focused on embassy reinforcement. FASTPAC stands on call for action and is prepared to deploy forces to defend and secure vital national assets.
The unit's Marines maintain their sharpness through regular training in-country and have developed a strong relationship with the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF).
"We are always training and do a lot of our training at Camp Fuji and in Okinawa for the most part, and that's when we're not actively doing any of the missions for the 7th Fleet," said Martensson. "So, a lot of our individual sustainment training and things like that take place at Camp Fuji or on the ranges in Okinawa."
Martensson explains that the reach of FASTPAC extends beyond Japan, with deployments throughout the Pacific.
"For any of the Marine Expeditionary Unit certification exercises, we have the ability to go down and do some embassy reinforcement work for those guys," said Martensson. "We did a couple of exercises with the JDSF up in the Fuji area as well. But we've been everywhere, from Guam to Thailand to the Philippines. We just recently opened the door for us to take part in some of the Karat exercises that are taking place with Seventh Fleet, Korea. Etc. We've bounced all over the place."
The Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team Company Pacific is an essential but often overlooked component of the United States military presence in the region. As the silent defenders of the 7th Fleet, their readiness and adaptability ensure the security and stability of the region in the face of emerging threats and crises.
| Date Taken: | 08.08.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.29.2023 01:24 |
| Story ID: | 454635 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 932 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The Silent Defenders: An Inside Look at the Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team Company Pacific, by TSgt Garrett Cole, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
