SWCC Deployment

[brbusinda]

First off i want to say thanks for responding to my questions. it really does help alot to have someone answer the questions we have.

I was wondering what a typical deployment for SWCC is like. I know that no two are alike but generally what is it like. What kind of time fram are we gone, we do we deploy with, just general stuff. also is the one unit that usually see's more action than the other, and how do the different boat units diifer? i really do apricaite your time.

Hooya, FAST boats and BIG guns

Businda

[Kinnikinik]

Hey Businda,

I didn't forget about you. You brought up some really good questions... and I want to give a thorough answer... I am just making excuses now. Maybe my friend Skimmer can come down and help me out... please!

Short and sweet, deployments are 6 months long, generally with a Special Warfare detatchment that includes both SWCC and Seals. On my deployments I have spent 8 months in Greece, did bilateral exercises with Croatia, Russia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece and the United Arab Emirates. I did 6 months in the Middle East hitting Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, and Iraq... over and over again. The interesting thing about SWCC is that you will find yourself where the news is. The frustrating thing about SWCC is that the news will usually report you as SEAL boats (which is bad unless you swamp a few yachts in Philidelphia with your wake, then you are glad the SEALs get blamed).

The unit that sees the most action is SBT-22 which is in charge of riverienne operations and South America. The reason they are the most active is that in peacetime they have a HUGE job in the drug war in the rivers and estuaries of South America.

SBT-20 covers the Mediterranean and Atlantic waterways, and SBT-12 covers the Pacific theater. A combination of all three units cover the Middle East and units shuffle around as they are needed. SBT-20 and SBT-22 can airlift two MKV's anywhere in the world in 72 hours via C-5 transport, and a MCADS team can airdrop a set of 11 meter RIBs anywhere in the world in much less time. There is a constant three unit presence in the world at any given time, meaning that each Team deploys one group of detatchments year round on a rotating basis.

OK, so I did sum things up here... still looking for input guys. Sea stories would be nice too. (Did I tell you about the 8 swedish girls we met in Rhodes? Wow! They worked in this bar and after they got off we would go out and end up sleeping in lawnchairs on the beach until it was time for them to go to work again... a topless beach... hey, its not all work!)

K

[brbusinda]

You said that when you deploy you go with a special warfare detatchment. This including SWCC and SEALs. Now when you deploy do you leave aboard a carrier , or do you station somewhere over sea's and wait for the call? You mentioned that SBU 22 gets alot of action, would you say that all units have an equal chance at getting to go to all the different schools,like jump training and such. or is the training based on when you will deploy? on a typical deployment is the PT as good as it is when you are at a home pot? Thanks for your time.

God Bless
Businda

P.S. I leave for BCT in about three weeks, any last minute tips? do you recommend vitamins or protien shakes while going through the traing?

[Kinnikinik]

If you are on a Rib Det you may be stationed on an Amphib. If you are in a jump det, you will be forward deployed and fly out of your FOB to where you are needed. If you are in a MKV det, you will meet your boat in theatre and use that to hop around to where you are needed. At SBT-22 you stay on land and conduct your operations from your FOB. To further project your power down there they can use Helos to air lift the boats where they are needed, or over obstacles such as waterfalls and very shallow areas.

The training is based on where you are going. If you are going to SBT-20 or SBT-12, look for jump training and VBSS training (Vessel Boarding Search and Seizure). If you are at SBT-22 look for jungle warfare/survival training.

PT is usually as good or better depending on where you are. Most places you go have a gym and the dets do PT routinely to keep in shape.

As for BCT, they aren't going to let you take any supplements while you are there. They may allow vitamins and if so, I suggest them. I also kept my fridge stocked with Ensure (Vanilla, Weight Gain formula). That was great before PT in the morning since it digested really quickly and tasted pretty good coming back up if it didn't digest. The chowhalls are awesome on Coronado and SPECWAR guys can go back as many times as they want. That is the one place they don't mess with you, when you are eating.

For dinner, I suggest heading down to Island Pasta. They have good deals on pasta and they sell it by the pound. Actually, that was usually my after dinner dinner. You are going to eat tons of food there.

Thats about it. Keep your head down and keep off the instructor's radar. If you get pointed out, don't stress out, just buckle down and try harder. You will find that there is always a little bit more you can push your body to. Your mind will want to quit long before you body will quit.

Also, everything is on a time-frame. No matter how much you think they are going to kill you, the evolution will stop, and they will not let you get seriously injured. The instructors are professionals and know what they are doing.

Good luck out there. God bless and I hope to see you out there in the Teams in 6-8 months.

K

PS Stay away from Tijuana. You will have time to go there after you graduate. Don't mess things up for yourself by doing something stupid. If there is one time to fly straight it is now.

[brbusinda]

hey just one more question. I heard some different things about cold weather training. Is it true that all SWCC goes through the training or is it mission related training. also when reportiing to a team new fresh out of BCT and CQT do you have restrictions as to what you can and cannot do, and do you have achoice which team to go to? Throughout the training will we see alot of range time? I really do appricate the time you guys take to answer the questions.

God Bless,
Businda

[Kinnikinik]

Businda,

Hopefully you get a chance to check the forums now that you are in BCT. You are probably getting the run down already on what you will be doing. For the benefit of everyone else though... When you leave CQT you will go straight to one of three units, San Diego, Virginia Beach, or Mississippi. When you graduate you will have the opportunity to try for orders. If you are honor grad you get your choice, but the inside scoop is, if you let your instructors know where you want to go, you have a better chance of actually going there. I was kind of stuck when I went through it since I made an agreement with the Virginia guys that I was headed to them. I think I made a good choice though. There really are no bad choices. Besides, I like Europe much more than Asia.

As for range time, there is one week that you will do nothing but shoot. Your group of about 30 guys will shoot more ammo in that week than a Marine battalion gets to shoot in a month. It is towards the end of the training though. It wouldn't be fair to have a bunch of washouts get to have that much fun at the beginning and then drop. You have to earn the right to shoot. Here's a hint. Make sure your tshirt is tight. You'll see why with all that brass flying around. Trust me, you DO NOT want brass going down your shirt.

Take care and keep us updated.

K

[regjoe]

Honor Grad? Ive heard that a few times, what constitutes and honor grad (what do you have to do to be the honor grad)? Do SWCC classes have an LPO student like BUD/S (BUD/S has an LPO student and a class leader student, an ensign). How many senior second classes go to SWCC (Senior, I mean more than 2 years as a second). If you have orders to SWCC, then make first class, will they cancel your orders, or jut make you put in a waiver? Im not hijacking any threads, piggy backing.

[Kinnikinik]

1. Honor Grad is chosen by the students of every class.

2.. Yes there is an LPO, he is usually the senior man in the class.

3. The regulations simply say that you must apply as a second class. Once you are picked up it doesn't matter if you advance (actually even if you advance while you package is being approved you should be OK)

4. You'll see a good mix of straight from boot camp types all the way to crusty old first classes. There is usually a pretty good spread, though if you get in a bootcamp heavy class you may end up as LPO or at least a squad leader.

[Johan422]

SWCC Deployments are the meat and potatoes of our job. That is what we're all training for, from BCT to SIT(Squadren Interop) We no longer deploy from an Anphib, on the east coast anyway. Also it's Special Boat Teams, not Units any more. We made the change a couple years ago. If you want to jump you'll have to come to TEAM 20. We jump all the time and even on deployment we schedule jump trips. I hope this clears some things up -- Johan