Airmen work to provide security for incoming vessels

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Sarah Stegman
  • CJTF-Horn of Africa Public Affairs
CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti (AFPN) --  Before a U.S. naval vessel is secured to a pier in Djibouti City's port, a joint team has already been at work preparing a safe berthing.

The planning begins with the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa's Anti-terrorism/ Force Protection Office coordinating with the U.S. Embassy, the Djiboutian military, an explosive ordnance disposal team, military canine units and a force protection rifle company.

"We let (the force protection agencies) know the specific time of arrival of the ships and the initial force protection measures which need to be taken," said Master Sgt. Tyler Goodman, deployed from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. "It's pretty interesting to see since we're a joint command.  This is definitely a joint venture."

Each element acts is an intricate piece of the mission's puzzle. This mission starts with the U.S. Navy's EOD Mobile Unit 8, Detachment 4.

"About two hours before the ship is scheduled to arrive, we don our scuba equipment, and trace along the wall (of the pier), making sure there's nothing there that isn't supposed to be," explained Navy Lt. Nels Peterson, officer in charge of the EOD unit deployed from Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily. "We also trace along the bottom as far out as the beam of the ship that will be pulling in. We make sure there's nothing out of place or out of the ordinary or wasn't there the last time we inspected the area."

"We also search and sweep all the boats that are involved in the security, movement and escorting the ship to the pier before they are allowed to approach the ship," said Navy EOD 2nd Class Christopher Vann. "After the boats are swept, the Army can then man the boats to make sure all is safe for the ship entering the port."

While the EOD team is ensuring the pier and security ships are safe underwater, an Air Force security forces military working dog team is completing its piece of the puzzle on the surface.

"We go out and conduct a systematic search of the pier by looking for any sort of explosive devices that might be planted around the pier," said Staff Sgt. David Helmbrecht, a military working dog handler deployed from Grand Forks AFB, N.D. "We also search any vehicles, forklifts, pallets or anything else that comes onto the pier during and after re-supply of the vessel."

Once the ship comes to the pier, Sergeant Helmbrecht, along with his dog, Borek, is in charge of searching everything that will be loaded on the ship, from mail to food.
 
"Anything that has to go on the ship has to be searched by us first," he said.

The final piece of the puzzle is the Army Cavalry Scouts who augment the Djiboutian military members and provide 360-degree security to guarantee unauthorized personnel do not enter the secured area.

Working together in a combined and joint environment has been trying but also rewarding for the U.S. services.

"The Djiboutian port authorities and Djiboutian navy have been fantastic and very accepting of what we need to do to provide quality force protection for the ships," Sergeant Goodman said. "They've been very accommodating with their time, manpower and resources." 

Lieutenant Peterson agrees. "We've had a positive experience interacting with the three services and the Djiboutians. The longer and more often we work together, the smoother and more streamlined the process becomes," he said.