NSWG-4 Expands Cognizance Over Special Warfare
Capability
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NORFOLK (NNS) -- Commander, Naval
Special Warfare Group (NSWG) 4 accepted control of a fourth
subordinate command, Naval Small Craft Instruction and
Technical Training School (NAVSCIATTS), on Stennis Space
Center, Miss., from the Naval Special Warfare Center (NSWC).
The turnover will be complete Feb. 1.
NAVSCIATTS mission is to provide partner nation security forces with the
highest level of riverine and coastal craft operations and
maintenance technical training. The change in structure
aligns the operational expertise of the Naval Special
Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) with the NAVSCIATTS
schoolhouse.
This will ensure the very latest techniques and procedures are being
taught in addition to allowing closer engagement
opportunities with friendly countries.
NAVSCIATTS has been conducting security force assistance since 1963 to
prepare partner nation forces to conduct small craft
operations in riverine and littoral environments, as well as
develop and sustain professional and personal relationships.
"The reason NAVSCIATTS exists is to provide technical training to our
partner nation security force students, not only to improve
their individual technical skills, but also to enhance the
readiness of select maritime security forces within key
partner nations," said NAVSCIATTS Commanding Officer Cmdr.
Bill Mahoney.
This mission is closely aligned with the Navy's maritime strategy of
increasing security and alliances in waterways across the
globe. With this waterborne mission, it is a natural
evolution for NAVSCIATTS to fall under NSWG-4, U.S. Special
Operations Command's (SOCOM) maritime mobility component.
"This is phase zero of the Navy's maritime strategy: pre-conflict capacity
building. NAVSCIATTS provides us with the initial contact
with a potential ally or partner nation force, and helps set
the stage for training with nations around the world," said
Capt. Chuck Wolf NSWG 4.
Additionally, NAVSCIATTS conducts security force assistance missions in
support of combatant commanders in accordance with SOCOM
priorities using in-resident courses and mobile training
teams (MTT) to prepare partner nation security forces to
conduct small craft operations in riverine or littoral
environments within their own countries.
The goal of an MTT is to teach both how to operate and maintain the craft
used by the partner nation in their own environment, and
often includes establishing a logistics chain from the
ground up. These are skills that the SWCC instructors are
specifically trained for as SOCOM's premier maritime
experts.
"There will be a closer lashing-up of NSW maritime components with partner
nations we should be and are currently working with," said
Wolf.
NAVSCIATTS in-resident training is an effective first step of U.S.
government development of partner nation forces, focusing on
teaching independent maintenance, limited planning and the
basics of combined operations. This initial training often
leads to MTT deployments and more advanced training.
After a period of sustained interoperability the unit will ideally become
more involved with the United States, specifically with
special operations forces, and develop their own training
capabilities.
"Continual and persistent engagement with specific units and key partner
nations through additional and advanced training, regional
exercises, follow-on MTTs, and combined operations will
ultimately improve their overall readiness. It's in our
mutual interest to improve security through enhanced
interoperability, improved alliances and increased
cooperative security," said Mahoney.
Mahoney predicts that the shift in control of his command to NSWG-4 will
improve security force assistance efforts to build select
maritime security force capacities within key partner
nations.
For more news from Naval Special Warfare Group 4, visit www.navy.mil/local/nswg4/.
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