NOTE: I've been calling for these guys to get off the beach and get out on deployment and they finally have. Despite the Big Navy's confusion, one thing is obvious. Amphibs are not only few in number but are also going to be high demand resources. The Marine Corps better be prepared to wall off its requirement or you'll see pilfering from SOCOM, Riverines and other Units.
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| Gulf of Thailand (May 21, 2012) U.S. Navy Operations Specialist 1st Class Steve Vaillancourt, assigned to Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 1, signals Royal Thai navy Chief Udorn Harin, of the Royal Thai navy Riverine Patrol Regiment's Riverine Squadron 1, during a riverine training exercise for Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Thailand 2012. CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually in Southeast Asia to strengthen relationships and enhance force readiness. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Daniel J. Calderón/Released) |
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| GULF OF THAILAND (May 21, 2012) A Royal Thai navy Riverine Patrol Regiment and U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 1 participate in riverine operation exercises aboard a special operations craft-riverine (SOC-R) during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Thailand 2012. CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually in Southeast Asia to strengthen relationships and enhance force readiness. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Aaron Glover/Released) |
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| GULF OF THAILAND (May 21, 2012) A Royal Thai navy Riverine Patrol Regiment and U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 1 participate in riverine operation exercises aboard a special operations craft-riverine (SOC-R) during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Thailand 2012. CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually in Southeast Asia to strengthen relationships and enhance force readiness. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Aaron Glover/Released) |
SOL the riverines have been on deployments since going to Iraq to relieve the Marines at Haditha a couple of YEARS ago. I have seen them in at least six other places. Plus they have been sending dets on Partnership missions all along. Did you miss those "deployments"?
ReplyDeletethey went to Iraq to relieve Marines on the deltas...they did some partnership missions in S. America...but to be honest i don't count those as "regular deployments"....
ReplyDeletejust my definition of things but i sort out combat deployments from regular deployments....the southern partnership missions i saw more as an experiment than an actual depoyment.
so in my mind this is the first regular deployment they've been on since coming into being.
anytime sailors are are gone from homeport, they are deployed in my book! Anytime an ESG or ARG leaves homeport with Marines it IS a deployment to those folks~
ReplyDeleteBTW there have been NECC units on Gators at least three times before this.