On April 15, 2010, fifteen members from various flotillas in Division 20 met aboard Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, NC to participate in a tour of the Joint Maritime Training Center (JMTC) at Courthouse Bay.

 

We were met by Auxiliarists Ray Moulton FC, Jacksonville, NC and Bill Gerdsen VFC, Swansboro, NC. Both of these members volunteer time at the facility as radio operators and Ray was instrumental in setting up the event.

 

Upon arriving, we were escorted into a nearby classroom where we viewed several sobering videos of terrorist attacks on US forces. With that fresh in our minds, Chief Warrant Officer Charles “Bee” Perry started the day off and introduced us to USCG Captain Steve Weiden, JMTC commanding officer.  Captain Weiden gave us highlights of the JMTC, the unit’s missions and how they relate to day-to-day Coast Guard operations.  JMTC’s official mission statement is: “To provide relevant and credible maritime security training and Operational Testing and Evaluation in support of Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security missions.”

 

After the introduction, we commenced our tour of JMTC.  Our first stop was the Joint Operations Center (JOC).  The JOC serves as the command center where all logistical information is consolidated; from travel and berthing, to meals, classes and operational schedules. We were given an overview of the types of training given at JMTC and how it’s all coordinated in the JOC.

 

Next, the group was taken to the armory & shown the variety of weapons used by the Coast Guard and Navy in their respective missions. After our armory visit, we made our way to the boat yard where several dozen Coast Guard, Navy, and Marine Corps boats of various designs and capabilities are stored and maintained. CWO Perry informed our group that JMTC’s training evolutions place a lot of stress on the boats, so the boats are in constant need of tune-ups and repairs. The large numbers of craft at the facility are maintained in a state-of-the-art shop where most repairs are accomplished with no outside assistance necessary.

 

We broke for lunch and members were given a choice of deli sandwiches or “Meals-Ready to Eat” (MRE’s).  Some of the former “grunts” in our group hunkered down and tore into the MRE plastic ration bags and graded the latest fare against older combat rations that we had learned to love or hate in our youth.

 

Next was a tour of the “Fire Arms Training System” (FATS).  FATS is a virtual training facility that students use to gain experience with several different types of firearms in many different scenarios.  FATS and several other areas that we were shown during the day are militarily sensitive in nature where no photography was allowed, so I’ll just say that it was informative and extremely well received by the group.

 

We closed out the day at the boat docks where we saw how the student boat teams are given their daily mission assignments, and by a stroke of luck, there was a new 45’ craft being tested at the facility.  This was the same craft that was videotaped at Yorktown, VA last year, and this time we all got to step aboard & experience a turnaround in the boat basin.  The new 45’ boat will be replacing the old 41’ UTB class.  The inside of the 45’ boat is totally state-of-art with a lot of electronic gadgetry.  Since the craft is propelled by water jets, the maneuverability is superb. Joysticks are used for the steering and power controls and there are three video control console areas as well.

 

All of the members attending were very appreciative of the considerable time and effort that all members of the JMTC staff showed us and the members of our group learned a wealth of new information, as well as a very different side of the Coast Guard.