Force Recon VBSS Training With Dutch Marines

Narrator: The Marine Corps is making a shift back to where it all started: the sea. During the first week of May in Saveneta, Aruba, Marines from Force Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion embarked on visit board search and seizure - or VBSS - training aboard the Royal Dutch naval vessel Pelican.

Master SGT Cory Paskvan: Today we're performing VBSS training abord the Dutch Naval Vessel, Pelican. We performed hook and climb procedures, basic tactical deck sweeps and just started the baseline for our VBSS training that we are going to be performing over the next week.

Narrator: VBSS is the systematic way in which military forces take over any sized vessel from the sea. By utilizing Dutch Marin Corps rigid hull inflatable boats, or RHIBs, Marines can come aboard any sized vessel via ladder and take control.

Master SGT Cory Paskvan: A Force Recon Company has traditionally always had the amphibious reconnaissance mission and once we chopped to the MEUs and in accordance with our remit we fall into the Maritime Raid Force and we become the force of choice for VBSS, just due to the fact that all of our guys are swimmer trained to a little bit higher level that the general Marine. We possess the gear within our inventory to conduct this type of training and we have the resident knowledge within out community to perform this type of training.

Narrator: The training was assisted by not only the crewmen of the Pelican, but was also overlooked by Dutch forces who have immense real-world experience in VBSS, which helped Force Recon Tweak their standard operating procedures as they went along.

Master SGT Cory Paskvan: The Dutch Marines, they do a lot of real-world misstions, they're very active in boarding, you know in various areas of the world. This is part of their realm, just one of the things that is sort of considered their task, their bread and butter. They're very very good at it. They bring a lot of past experiences through tactics, techniques and procedures that they've worked through and perfected and it's very good to share some knowledge with them and share some of our experiences and learn from some of the operational tasks that they've performed.

Narrator: After four days of basic and advanced VBSS training, the Marines put their knowledge to the test aboard the motor vessel Pan Aegis in a final culminating event.

Sgt, Martin Schmitt: Today we boarded an oil tanker. It was a VBSS mission with a hook and climb. We came from <unintelligible>, which is bottom up.

Narrator: Once aboard, the Marines regrouped into raiding stacks and began to take control of key spaces on the vessel.

Sgt, Martin Schmitt: After we made entry into the bridge, we went down 3 levels into the engine room, where we encounter 2 crew, they were held up in a safe room. Once we got voice comms with them, they realized we were American forces trying to help them, they came out, we secured the situation and brought them upstairs.

Narrator: With the crew members safe, the Marines began to search for the suspected pirates aboard the vessel.

Force Recon Marine: Lift your hands! Drop your weapon! Drop It!

Sgt, Lamar Milstead: Once boarded, we confirmed 2 tangos, 1 up on the bridge, 1 low towards the bow. Once we got them detained, we questioned them, found out what was on board, tried to validate them on the manifest. None of the checked out which confirmed out beliefs that they were pirates of the vessel.

Narrator: After securing the vessel, Pirates and the crew of the Pan Aegis safe, the Marines began to reflect on how their previous training helped them complete the mission.

Sgt, Martin Schmitt: I think that all the training that led up to this was really good.There's a lot of training that we can't always get in the States, especially working with the Dutch Marines. We got to see, you know, a different side, how they train. They gave us some tips, you know, and I think all the training week earlier this week really helped out.

Narrator: And as the sun began to rise, the Marinea exited the vessel, not only completing the objective but also having refined a skill set that can be employed in future operations.