Away the boarding party (VBSS and SWOs with guns); Marines, too!

[Gatordev]

I thought that the Coast Guard LEDETs are in charge of all the boardings for the Navy since you guys don't have law enforcement authority. Is that not the case?

It depends on the type of boarding/vessel to be boarded. If it's a LE boarding, then yes, LEDET runs it. If it's not an LE boarding (like the boardings in the Gulf during sanctions) then it's whomever is part of the VBSS team (which may or may not include LEDET). Not all boardings were compliant, either, in which case the boarding team was a little more high-speed and angry.

 

[jcj]

100722-N-1287L-141 ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 22, 2010) Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Bobby K. Plunkett assists Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Recruit Adrian M. Galang with firing a 12-gauge shotgun on the fantail of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). The live-fire exercise was conducted to familiarize weapons department and security division Sailors with the weapon. Enterprise is on a scheduled underway for fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications and is making preparations for its 21st deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stacy D. Laseter/Released)

Looks like they will satisfy the first marksmanship criteria - hitting the water.

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

Sailors conduct VBSS training.
PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 13, 2012) Sailors assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89) and Explosive Ordinance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5 conduct a visit, board, search and seizure drill in support of exercise Valiant Shied 2012 (VS12). Mustin is part of the George Washington Carrier Strike Group based out of Yokosuka, Japan. VS12 is an integrated training exercise that combines Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps forces at sea. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Devon Dow/Released) 120913-N-MU720-084

 

[phrogpilot73]

100721-N-3154P-016 ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 21, 2010) Operations Specialist Seaman Apprentice David Wolery, assigned to the amphibious transport dock ship USS Ponce (LPD 15), helps secure a ship during a visit, board, search and seizure training exercise. Ponce is part of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, which is participating in a composite unit training exercise (COMPTUEX) off the East Coast of the United States. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Scott Pittman/Released)

Nothing says "steely-eyed killer" than having your weapon zip-tied so as to prevent it's operation...

 

[Jim123]

Nothing says "steely-eyed killer" than having your weapon zip-tied so as to prevent it's operation...

What bad could possibly come from getting a little salt spray in there?

Maybe they were all out of these little red whatchamacallit thingies

 

[phrogpilot73]

What bad could possibly come from getting a little salt spray in there?

Maybe they were all out of these little red whatchamacallit thingies

That is a BFA or Blank Firing Adapter. Designed to allow normal operation of your weapon while firing blanks for training. Pretty much the opposite of a zip-tie...

 

[ASR]

That is a BFA or Blank Firing Adapter. Designed to allow normal operation of your weapon while firing blanks for training. Pretty much the opposite of a zip-tie...

Right. The zip-tie is specifically to prevent its proper operation because it's an exercise and "looking" like a steely-eyed killer should be the elast of everyone's concerns in such an environment. The intent is likely to add another layer of safety during what is almost certainly meant to be a non-firing exercise. Step one is of course to make sure the weapon is cleared and safe but, since some people manage to even screw that up (and it always seems to be the people who insist they could never be that stupid, the “my safety is my trigger finger” crowd), step two is to put a zip-tie in the chamber to prevent a round from being chambered or even from a magazine from being inserted.

One of those BFAs (not that you're the one suggesting they should have been used) wouldn't prevent a weapon from being fired, but rather if a weapon were fired by mistake using a live round it would be... probably really bad for the barrel, the BFA, and potentially still anyone in the vicinity of the barrel. Maybe even the shooter.

 

[KBayDog]

Words that assume that phrogpilot73 is talking out his ass and has never used a BFA before...

Right. And since we're in the business of TRA, vice "warfighting," why even let SA Snuffy handle the weapon? After all, it's supposed to be a non-firing exercise, right? He could be just as effective if he pointed his fingers and yelled "Budda budda JAM," no?

Just think of the carnage that might ensue if he got his finger caught in the zip-tied chamber. He could get a blood blister, resulting in a trip to medical and a mishap report being sent to the CO!

Holy crap, I don't even want to think of what would happen if someone came around the corner and accidentally ran into his muzzle... (Do the corners of those passageways have mirrors? Is there foam on covering all of the sharp edges?)

 

[Jim123]

Followup- my bad on mixing up what a BFA does and what it's for (FTR, yes, I've used one and yes, I understand what could happen if you misuse it).

Thanks for the good satire, KBay, as always.

Welcome aboard, ASR, and cheers.

 

[KBayDog]

Thanks for the good satire, KBay, as always.

Satire?

 

[BigRed389]

Right. The zip-tie is specifically to prevent its proper operation because it's an exercise and "looking" like a steely-eyed killer should be the elast of everyone's concerns in such an environment. The intent is likely to add another layer of safety during what is almost certainly meant to be a non-firing exercise. Step one is of course to make sure the weapon is cleared and safe but, since some people manage to even screw that up (and it always seems to be the people who insist they could never be that stupid, the “my safety is my trigger finger” crowd), step two is to put a zip-tie in the chamber to prevent a round from being chambered or even from a magazine from being inserted.

One of those BFAs (not that you're the one suggesting they should have been used) wouldn't prevent a weapon from being fired, but rather if a weapon were fired by mistake using a live round it would be... probably really bad for the barrel, the BFA, and potentially still anyone in the vicinity of the barrel. Maybe even the shooter.

M4 BFA's will stop a live round. Same goes for M240 BFA's.
BFA's also function as safety devices in the event some dickhead mixed a live round in with blank ammo.

Fleet Navy's VBSS training with the exception of the training course is crap.

 

[HueyCobra8151]

I like the guy with the Go-Pro mounted to his helmet. That must be a truly captivating stack walkthrough, gotta throw that junk up on the youtubes!

Also, maybe this is nitpicky, but do they REALLY need bipod-broomhandles on their M4's?

And while I'm at it, do they really not train to using any sort of chemical agents? Why don't they have gasmasks as part of their fighting load?

This picture poses a lot of questions. I wonder if these guys have done a live-fire shoothouse in a stack, I think it would change a lot of their equipment TTPs (and give them something cooler to film on the GoPro).

 

[BigRed389]

I like the guy with the Go-Pro mounted to his helmet. That must be a truly captivating stack walkthrough, gotta throw that junk up on the youtubes!

Also, maybe this is nitpicky, but do they REALLY need bipod-broomhandles on their M4's?

And while I'm at it, do they really not train to using any sort of chemical agents? Why don't they have gasmasks as part of their fighting load?

This picture poses a lot of questions. I wonder if these guys have done a live-fire shoothouse in a stack, I think it would change a lot of their equipment TTPs (and give them something cooler to film on the GoPro).

The Fleet guys do some Sim round shoothouses once at the schoolhouse, definitely not live fire. No other killhouse runs unless something's changed with schoolhouse funding.

I don't know if the EOD guys do livefire either, don't think they do as a general rule.

Chem agents are trained to...sort of. OC spray. No CS, if that's what you were thinking.
Gas masks are a nice idea, but for the most part, these guys aren't boarding anything bigger than a dhow.

 

[HueyCobra8151]

That's too bad, the first time you stack up with loaded weapons and the guy behind is you actually firing a weapon right next to your face while you are all moving forward is a bit of an eye opener.

 

[ASR]

Right. And since we're in the business of TRA, vice "warfighting," why even let SA Snuffy handle the weapon? After all, it's supposed to be a non-firing exercise, right? He could be just as effective if he pointed his fingers and yelled "Budda budda JAM," no?

And that is the "my trigger finger is my safety" attitude I was referring to. God forbid non-obtrusive and easily verified safety measures be instituted.