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June 15, 2009

Petty Officer Pamela J. Manns

Public Affairs (510) 437-3335

Coast Guard marksmen became airborne in order to prevent a terrorist attack on the San Francisco Bay area. In early February, Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco implemented its ports, waterways and coastal security program. It marked the beginning of using armed helicopters, in addition to armed Coast Guard surface assets, to stop terrorist on the bay. 

"Imagine a U.S.S. Cole like attack on a cruise ship, on the San Francisco Bay ferry system, on our bridges," said Cmdr. Samuel Creech, commanding officer of Air Station San Francisco. "We want the opportunity to do more than shake our heads and shake our fist in the event there is a terrorist attack," he said.
  

Air Station San Francisco’s crews now have the ability to outfit the MH-65 “Dolphin” helicopters with M-14T rifles and machine guns. They will also have eight highly-trained gunners ready to defend the bay area in the event of an imminent terrorist attack. Gunners were carefully selected from the Coast Guard’s aviation field to fill the role of marksmen. The candidates were selected based on their physical and mental fitness, maturity, professionalism, and an approval from their commanding officer.

“The gunners volunteer and then are screened to ensure that we have the right candidate for the job,” said Paul A. Werries, Precision Marksman Program Manager at the Office of Counter Terrorism and Special Missions at Coast Guard Headquarters.

A gunner candidate spends three to four days in a classroom learning the fundamentals of marksmanship and the rules of engagement, said Werries. The program then extends for three more weeks of intensive range and precision marksmanship training.

“The range revolves around shooting and we teach our students that it pays to be the best,” said Werries.

After the range, the marksmen go airborne and hone their skills from a helicopter. The gunners practice shooting blank rounds, the round casings are collected in a container inside the helicopter and do not enter the environment, in the San Pablo Bay at Coast Guard boats acting as the terrorist. The helicopter is supported by armed Coast Guard surface assets practicing hostile-boat intercept maneuvers. The Coast Guard issues a broadcast notice to civilian mariners and aviators to ensure the safety of the public during the evolution.

"The training makes precise marksmen, and proficiency comes with practice. Even after the marksmen are qualified they continue to practice," said Petty Officer 1st Class Michael S. Conrad, an avionics electrical technician at Air Training Center Mobile, Ala. Conrad has been a precision marksman since 2005, and is now serving as an instructor. In addition to training potential marksmen, Conrad also has to ensure that each candidate has the right mindset for the job.

“An instructor must be able pick out which student is mentally ready and physically fit,” said Conrad.

Conrad added that there are certain characteristics that make for accurate and capable marksmen. “A good gunner has sound judgment. They are responsible and dedicated,” said Conrad.

The training makes precise marksmen, and proficiency comes with practice. Even after the marksmen are qualified they continue to practice, said Conrad.

Once the training is complete, the eight San Francisco-based marksmen stand duty, remain flight crew qualified, and are ready to respond to a terrorist threat.

The PWCS precision marksmanship program is dedicated to making accurate gunners. Marksmen, if engaged, can protect our country and save our citizens.

“Hopefully we will never have to use the PWCS capabilities, but I know that the right people are in place if we ever have to employ it,” said Conrad.

Airborne weaponry is not a new concept to the Coast Guard. The Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron has been a part of the service’s counter-drug mission for more than 10 years. HITRON operates off the coast of Florida and the marksmen assigned to those units fire at the engines of drug-running boats. However, the marksmen assigned to Air Station San Francisco will fight terrorist, and will not be used for routine law enforcement.

The Coast Guard has always played a major role in keeping our homeland secure, and Air Station San Francisco’s ports, waterways, and coastal security program greatly enhances the Coast Guard’s ability to protect the bay. An aerial gunner trained in precision marksmanship is another asset the Coast Guard can utilize to save lives.

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