Navy Reservists Defend Gulf Coast in Simulated Terrorist Exercise

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1 By Lt. Charles Gasque and Lt.j.g. Anna Marie Janning SNWP Public Affairs PASCAGOULA Miss. U.S. Navy Reservists are filling a critical role in support of an exercise designed to enhance homeland security. The Gulf Coast Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative 2005 (MDA-05) is being conducted at Naval Station Pascagoula this week. Approximately 75 Navy Reservists the U.S. Coast Guard along with federal and local law enforcement agencies have convened nationally to support this initiative. The Port of Pascagoula is a full-service deep-water port with modern facilities for handling cargo from around the world. The Gulf Coast is also the hub of the oil industry and is a vital resource to the Western Hemisphere which is why MDA-05 was designed. This area of the country has an abundance of critical maritime infrastructure said Cmdr. Daniel E. Crisp commanding officer of the Navy Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS-N2) Unit Two one of the units participating in the initiative. We have shipyards shipping lanes transportation outlets public terminals oil refineries and of course military facilities. Page 1 of 5

2 MDA-05 is a five-day event involving simulated terrorist threats to the Gulf Coast region. Participating reserve units include Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Mobile Unit Twelve (MU 12) out of Charleston S.C. and two DCGS-N units. Unit One has personnel operating from Patuxent River Md. and the Naval Research Lab in Washington. Unit Two is participating at Naval Station Pascagoula. The primary mission of Navy EOD is to disarm and render safe any explosive devices. During this initiative the EOD team will serve as opposing forces to challenge existing security systems. We re essentially acting as a terrorist group said Senior Chief Boatswains Mate (EOD) Jim Prewitt of EOD MU12. We re placing an underwater diver detection system on the coast. The DCGS-N team which is responding to the threats that the EOD squad is simulating is evaluating the Navy's latest intelligence surveillance reconnaissance and targeting capability managed by the Navy for shared battlefield interoperations. The DCGS-N units are reviewing data to precisely identify specific targets to share with operational managers of the MDA-05 initiative. Cmdr. Greg Heruth the commanding officer of DCGS-N1 said this initiative is testing a new means of having cryptologists and intelligence analysts working side by side when normally the two entities are housed at different locations. Our team is ecstatic this is a tremendous teambuilding opportunity utilizing the strengths of both ratings added Heruth. Throughout this initiative DCGS-N personnel are also working in conjunction with other members of the Space and Network Warfare Program (SNWP) which reports to Commander Naval Network Warfare Command located at Little Creek Amphibious Base Norfolk Va. Cmdr. George Sims of Space and Naval Warfare Center (SPAWAR) 0366 out of Naval Air Facility Washington whose unit is a component of SNWP said their role is to integrate information from national technical means with DCGS-N Units One and Two. Certainly the country will benefit knowing the Navy and Coast Guard will be working together to achieve and sustain maritime domain awareness said Sims. Crisp added that another major focus of MDA-05 is to ensure that the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard as well as local Page 2 of 5

3 authorities are responding to maritime threats to the best of their abilities. This training opportunity will enable improved interaction and interoperability among the US Navy and Coast Guard as well as local state and federal agencies in preparing and responding to domestic and maritime terrorist threats. In the post-september 11th world that we live in the U.S. Navy is working diligently with the U. S. Coast Guard said Crisp. We along with other agencies are trying to determine how best to work together as a team. According to Crisp the results of this initiative will help operational managers better anticipate threats and take appropriate actions to deter or defeat them. The equipment and invaluable experience gained from this exercise can be directly placed into operation wherever and whenever needed. The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Center for Asymmetric Warfare (CAW) developed this complex scenario-based exercise on behalf of the Navy Reserve s Space and Network Warfare Program (SNWP). The CAW provided mission management and rehearsal technology assessment and analysis and supported the development of tactics and procedures for the exercise. A combination of simulations tabletop demonstrations and live play scenarios were utilized to represent emerging maritime threats. The CAW is a national center dedicated to supporting US military forces and local state and federal organizations in recognizing countering and controlling the effects of asymmetric warfare and related terrorist threats. Photos: Diver_073 Pascagoula Miss. (Aug ) - Chief Hull Technician Jeff H. Bailey is helped aboard by fellow diver Senior Chief Boatswain's Mate James E. Pruitt following tests on an submerged acoustic swimmer detection system. The divers are members of Explosive Ordinance Disposal Mobile Unit Twelve (EODMU-12) Detachment 10. The Detection System is able to differentiate between marine life and swimmers. The initiative is being held at the Port of Pascagoula in cooperation with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard along with federal state and local agencies working together to enhance Homeland Security. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Mark O'Donald Detection System_026 Pascagoula Miss. (Aug ) - Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit One Two Page 3 of 5

4 NAVAIR News Release (EODMU-12) Det 10 prepare to guide the Cerberus Swimmer Detection System into the water at Naval Station Pascagoula during the Gulf Coast Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative The initiative is being held at the Port of Pascagoula in cooperation with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard along with federal state and local agencies working together to enhance homeland security. U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Michael Moriatis LSS_003 Pascagoula Miss. (Aug ) A team of intelligence specialists analyze maritime traffic using the Navy Reserve's Littoral Surveillance System during the Gulf Coast Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative The initiative is being held at the Port of Pascagoula in cooperation with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard along with federal state and local agencies working together to enhance homeland security. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Duckworth Page 4 of 5

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