Special Boat Team
Warriors Return From Iraq -
From Special Boat Team 20 Public
Affairs
VIRGINIA BEACH,Va. (NNS) -- Naval Special Warfare
warriors returned home April 18 after playing a
vital role in Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and
Enduring Freedom (OEF) and the War on Terrorism (WOT).
Special Boat Team (SBT) 20 Detachment Alfa,
stationed in Virginia Beach, Va., departed Oct. 15,
2002, to support OEF and WOT, before being called
upon to execute special operations missions during
the beginning of OIF.
In the beginning of the deployment, the detachment
conducted several Maritime Interdiction Operations
(MIO) in the Arabian Gulf. As OIF came to a head,
the detachment's unique mission of maritime special
operations gave military planners another avenue to
utilize Special Operations Forces.
Using Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RIBs), the
Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) of
SBT 20 assisted in the capture of the Iraqi port
city, Umm Qasr, with follow-on force protection of
the port. As the waters came under the protection of
the coalition forces, SBT 20 detachments served a
crucial role in securing oil delivery stations along
the gulf throughout the myriad of mine fields.
In addition to preserving the rich resources of the
Iraqi people, SBT 20 detachments conducted several
Leadership Interdiction Operations, preventing the
escape of suspected Iraqi regime members and
suppressing the threat of terrorists.
As the only special boat team on the East Coast, SBT
20's mission is to employ, operate and maintain a
variety of surface combatant craft to conduct and
support naval and joint special operations,
including maritime interdiction missions, insertion
and extraction of Navy SEALs
(Sea, Air, and Land) and Special Operations Forces,
direct action missions, and special reconnaissance.
SBT 20 is comprised of SWCC. SWCC special operations
coxswains operate and maintain the state-of-the-art,
high performance maritime boats used to conduct
special operations interdiction, interception and
insertion missions throughout the world.
For more information about Special Warfare
Combatant-craft Crewmen, Special Boat Team 20, and
Naval Special Warfare, visit their Web site,
www.swcc.navy.mil
