Home > Forum > Articles > May, 2012 > PE12 Continues Multinational Training, Promotes Teamwork

PE12 Continues Multinational Training, Promotes Teamwork

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

SOUDA BAY, Crete (May 12, 2012) - U.S. Navy Sailors attached to guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG-56) participate in small-arms training aboard the Hellenic naval training ship Aris as part of exercise Phoenix Express 2012 (PE12) at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operations Center in Souda Bay, May 12. PE12, a multinational exercise between European, North African and U.S. naval forces, is an at-sea maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation among participating nations to help increase maritime safety and security in the Mediterranean Sea.

SOUDA BAY, Crete (May 12, 2012) - Operations Specialist Seaman Alex Dibenedetto (left), a boarding team member assigned to the guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56), practices small arms tactics under the supervision of U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Joshua Aiken (right), from the to 1st Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team, aboard the training ship Aris at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center during Phoenix Express 2012 (PE12). PE12, a multinational maritime exercise between Southern European, North African and U.S. Naval forces, is designed to improve cooperation among participating nations and help increase safety and security in the Mediterranean Sea.

SOUDA BAY, Crete (May 12, 2012) - Operations Specialist 3rd Class Craig Sperry (left), a boarding team member assigned to the guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56), climbs aboard the training ship Aris under the supervision of the Hellenic Navy Special Forces during a training exercise at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center during Phoenix Express 2012 (PE12). PE12, a multinational maritime exercise between Southern European, North African and U.S. Naval forces, is designed to improve cooperation among participating nations and help increase safety and security in the Mediterranean Sea.

SOUDA BAY, Crete (May 12, 2012) - Boarding team members from the guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56), conduct small-arms training under the guidance of Marines assigned to the 1st Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team aboard the training ship Aris at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center during Phoenix Express 2012 (PE12). PE12, a multinational maritime exercise between Southern European, North African and U.S. Naval forces, is designed to improve cooperation among participating nations and help increase safety and security in the Mediterranean Sea.

SOUDA BAY, Crete (May 9, 2012) - Members of a Moroccan boarding team attached to the Moroccan ship Mohammed V (F-611) participate in small-arms training aboard the training ship Aris at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center during Phoenix Express 2012 (PE12). PE12, a multi-national maritime exercise between Southern European, North African and U.S. Naval forces, is designed to improve cooperation among participating nations and help increase safety and security in the Mediterranean Sea.

SOUDA BAY, Crete (May 9, 2012) - Senior Chief Fire Controlman Allen Bylls, a member of the boarding team from guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56), leads his team on an exercise aboard the training ship Aris at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center during Phoenix Express 2012 (PE12). PE12, a multi-national maritime exercise between Southern European, North African and U.S. Naval forces, is designed to improve cooperation among participating nations and help increase safety and security in the Mediterranean Sea.

SOUDA BAY, Crete (May 9, 2012) - Chief Fire Controlman Timothy Wheeler, a member of the boarding team from guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56), secures a stairway during an exercise aboard the training ship Aris at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center during Phoenix Express 2012 (PE12). PE12, a multi-national maritime exercise between Southern European, North African and U.S. Naval forces, is designed to improve cooperation among participating nations and help increase safety and security in the Mediterranean Sea.

SOUDA BAY, Crete (May 9, 2012) - Senior Chief Sonar Technician (Surface) Victor Meza, a member of the boarding team from guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56), provides security for his team during an exercise aboard the training ship Aris at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center during Phoenix Express 2012 (PE12). PE12, a multi-national maritime exercise between Southern European, North African and U.S. Naval forces, is designed to improve cooperation among participating nations and help increase safety and security in the Mediterranean Sea.

SOUDA BAY, Crete (May 8, 2012) - Moroccan naval forces participate in small-arms training aboard the Hellenic training ship Aris as part of a boarding team exercise during Phoenix Express 2012 (PE12). PE12, a multi-national maritime exercise between Sothern European, North African and U.S. Naval forces, is designed to improve cooperation among participating nations and help increase safety and security in the Mediterranean Sea.

Related Topics (9)

More related topics

May 12, 2012
MC3 Class Caitlin Conroy, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa

SOUDA BAY, Crete – Sailors assigned to the guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56) participated in a multinational training exercise aboard the Hellenic navy training ship Aris at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operations Training Center (NMIOTC) in support of exercise Phoenix Express 2012 (PE12) in Souda Bay, Crete, May 12.

The training included boarding procedures, proper weapons handling, and engaging compliant and non-compliant ships. It also gave the multinational servicemembers the opportunity to train with other countries and learn to work together.

“Our objective is to instill trust in participating nations,” said a Hellenic Navy Special Forces instructor.  “We are here to promote friendship and mutual understanding among participants, and to learn how to safely conduct boarding procedures.”

Working together in an environment where security forces come from many different nations and backgrounds means the instructors had to make sure the participants were at the same capability level in order to properly function as a team during the training.

 “This training is important because these are the basics,” said Senior Chief Fire Controlman Allen Bylls, a Simpson boarding team member. “You want to do this in a controlled training environment so you can get the fundamentals down before you go out into a real world situation.”

The combined training also helps servicemembers identify and overcome potential obstacles that could get in the way of the team’s performance.

“One of the biggest obstacles we encountered was the language barrier,” said U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Brenton Paulk, a staff instructor from Rota, Spain. “It’s something we are learning to overcome during our training and I think learning how to interact with other nations will be helpful during real-world maritime interdiction operation.”

PE12, a multinational maritime exercise between Southern European, North African and U.S. Naval forces, is designed to improve cooperation among participating nations and help increase safety and security in the Mediterranean Sea.

Participants and observers in PE12 include Algeria, Croatia, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and United States.

Find more articles tagged with:

Comments: 0

Your comment: