MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Members from the Japan Ground Self Defense Force’s 46th Regiment, 13th Brigade teamed up with Marines from the station’s Provost Marshal’s Office during a vessel boarding search and seizure exercise at the port here Wednesday.
The training is part of the installation’s anti-terrorism force protection against waterborne contingencies.
As part of Wednesday’s exercise, an unidentified boat came into the station’s harbor and docked at the port. Boat operators failed to identify themselves or comply with military police, and the Special Reaction Team was called in.
“Whenever the situation surpasses the capabilities of the MPs, we get called in,” said an SRT member. “There’s so many unknowns on a ship. Our special training makes us more capable of clearing the vessel.”
As SRT was en route to the scene, JGSDF forces and PMO Marines set up a security perimeter around the vessel. JGSDF members had the vessel in their weapons’ sights as JGSDF and PMO members instructed suspects over a loud speaker, “This is military police. You are surrounded. Come out with your hands up.”
The Special Reaction Team arrived and approached the vessel confidently with pistols, rifles and a K-9 unit. The Marines assumed tactical positions aboard the boat and began a systematic search of the entire vessel.
“We have to be cautious when we’re passing areas that haven’t been cleared,” said an SRT member. “You never know where the people are going to be.”
Five minutes into the exercise, shouts were heard as an SRT Marine pulled a suspect out of a room below the boat’s deck. The search for additional suspects continued as the first was detained and escorted to PMO Marines ashore. The thorough and aggressive search of the boat led to the seizure of the second suspect five minutes later and the conclusion of the exercise.
The long range boat detection and search and seizure exercise tested the station’s front line forces’ capability to handle a threat to the installation’s security.
“This is our opportunity to test our efforts out and actually see how we would respond,” said Gunnery Sgt. Terrell A. Lambert, staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge, Special Enforcement Division. “We were able to set up our positions as needed and communicate with our Japanese counterparts.”
During the scenario, JGSDF members and Marines worked together to provide the forces needed to subdue the suspects. The exercise went as planned, said Lambert.
“We had the chance to come out and do some good training, and I think we continue to improve each Active Shield (exercise),” said Lambert.
SRT and PMO Marines will continue training with the JGSDF Thursday, when Active Shield VII concludes.