Reservist

ISS2 2013

Reservist Magazine is the award-winning official publication of the United States Coast Guard Reserve. Bi-monthly issues include news and feature articles about the men and women who comprise America's premier national maritime safety and security

Issue link: https://uscgreservist.epubxp.com/i/140140

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West Coast PSU deploys to South Korea Through chilling winds and choppy seas five-man crews aboard small, gray, security boats worked tirelessly for 10 days patrolling the waters around a massive 348-foot petroleum vessel near the coast of Pohang, South Korea. Boat crews from Port Security Unit (PSU) 313, based in Everett, WA, worked night and day to enforce a safety zone around the U.S. Naval Ship Vice Adm. K.R. Wheeler and an eight-mile submerged pipeline that extended from the ship to the shores of Dogu Beach. During Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (CJLOTS) exercise, the Wheeler simulated providing fuel for the more than 1,200 personnel involved in the exercise by pumping water through the pipeline to large bladders on shore. These bladders would then be used to fuel military vehicles and equipment in a real-world scenario. "We provided protection for the pipeline and prevented local fisherman from anchoring or dragging fishing nets across the pipe," said Petty Officer 1st Class Jordan Gere, a reservist for eight years who has been with PSU 313 for almost three years and is a Snohomish, Wash., native. "We overcame our biggest challenge, the language barrier, by incorporating Korean augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) personnel into our boat crews to serve as interpreters." The KATUSA program provides the U.S. military with Koreanspeaking soldiers, allowing greater military functionality and maneuverability. This exercise brings together U.S. military troops and Korean allies to build working relationships and enhance security and readiness on the Korean peninsula. The crew of PSU 313 also provided 24-hour force protection on shore, side-by-side with Republic of Korea (ROK) military personnel during CJLOTS, which is an annual exercise comprised of more than 1,200 U.S. military personnel from 43 commands working in conjunction with the Republic of Korea's military forces. "Security teams ran entry control points alongside the ROK Marines and ROK Navy," said Gere. "ROK personnel helped with security and communication at the check points." aBoVe: Coast guard Me2 Spencer filzen (2nd fRoM RigHt), of PSU 313 talks with marines from the Republic of Korea while standing a joint, security watch at the Joint operations Center during a Combined Joint Logistics over-the-Shore exercise (CJLotS), april 20, 2013 in Pohang, South Korea. Left: three petty offcers from PSU 313 conduct a roving, security patrol along dogu Beach in Pohang, South Korea, during CJLotS, april 20. oPPoSite: Me3 Micah Lester (Left), of PSU 313 demonstrates proper anchoring procedures during his 'check ride' while trying to earn his offcial boat crewman qualifcations during CJLotS, april 25. 10 RESERVIST � Issue 2 • 2013

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