Important 15 facts about US Navy's Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team nicknamed Gunslingers any time any where

Important  15 facts about US Navy's Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team nicknamed Gunslingers any time any where

The United States is deploying a US Marine anti-terrorism team to Libya to bolster security after a deadly attack on its consulate in Benghazi.

The Marines are sending a FAST (Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team) team to Libya

There are two Americans confirmed dead in Libya:
U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and a foreign service officer,
Sean Smith, a U.S. Air Force veteran.

Important facts about US Navy's Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team

1)  
The Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST) is capable of rapidly deploying to immediately improve security at United States Government installations worldwide.

2)  
FAST Marines are deployed at the discretion of the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps when the primary and auxiliary security forces of the Marines are unable to adequately respond to a security crisis.

3)  
FAST goes through the Close Quarters Battle School in a specialized course known as Advanced Urban Combat. Once completed, they are given the MOS of 8154

4)  
Established in 1987, FAST companies provide a limited-duration, expeditionary security force to protect vital naval and national assets. FAST maintains forward-deployed platoons at various naval commands around the globe, and possesses U.S.-based alert forces capable of rapidly responding to unforeseen contingencies worldwide.

5)  
The USMC's Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Teams (FAST), provide the both US Navy and Marine Corps with a dedicated force protection and anti-terrorist unit.

6)  
There are currently two FAST companies, and training unit. 1st FAST Co. is located on Naval Operations Base (NOB), Norfolk, Virginia, and 2nd FAST Co. which is located at Naval Weapons Station, Yorktown, Virginia. Both units operate under the control of the Marine Corps Security Force Battalion located on Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia, The Security Force Battalion Training Company is located on Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA), Northwest, in Chesapeake, Virginia.

7)  
Each company includes 321 Marines, task-organized based upon mission:
Headquarters element,   
Four or five "guard" platoons (one officer and 49+ enlisted men),   
Weapons platoon (29-man MG section, 7-man 60mm Mortar section and 13 man SMAW section) ,   
Each platoon has 2-man HQ and 3 16+ man squads (divided into Team Leader and two guard teams),
Each company has Designated Marksmen (DM) who has received specialized marksmanship training at the USMC Designated Marksman School on Dam Neck Naval Training Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

8)  
Each FAST company is equipped and trains with some of the most state-of-the-art weaponry and currently consists of around 500 Marines.

9)  
FAST maintains a high degree of readiness in order to conduct these short-notice, limited-duration contingency operations

10)  
Engagements - USS Cole bombing, Operation Just Cause, American Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, Iraq, Afghanistan

1987 - United States Marine Corps forms two Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Teams.
FAST Pacific on the West Coast and FAST Atlantic on the East Coast

1989-1990 Operation Just Cause in Panama

1990-1991 Operation Desert Sheild in Saudi Arabia

1991 - Operation Desert Storm in Saudia Arabia/Kuwait

1992-1993 - Operation Restore Hope in Somalia

1993 - Operation Sharp Edge in Liberia

1993 - FAST Pacific deactivated

1994 - Operation Promote Liberty in Panama

1994 - Operation Restore Democracy in Haiti

1995 - Operation Safe Passage in Cuba and the Caribbean

1996 - Bahrain Anti-Terrorist Contingency

1998 - 2nd FAST is formed

1998 - Response to Embassy Bombing, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

1998 - Response to Embassy Bombing, Nairobi, Kenya

1999 - Embassy Reinforcement, Skopje, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

2000 - Support to USS Cole, Yemen

2001 - Embassy Reinforcement, Skopje, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

2001 - Security for the USNS Comfort in New York City Harbor following the terrorist
attack on the World Trade Center

2003 - Operation Iraqi Freedom

11)  
Weapons used by Fast -
M-16A2 rifles (rifles fitted with sniper scopes for the units designated marksmen),
M-16A2/M-203 40mm grenade launchers,
Berretta M-9 9mm pistols (attached tactical lights),
HK MP-5 9mm SMGs,
Colt 9mm SMGs,
Remington 870 shotguns,
M-249 5.56mm Squad Automatic Weapons (SAWs),
M-60 7.62mm GPMGs,
Browning .50 Cal. HMGs,
MK-19 40mm HMGs ( automatic grenade launchers),
60mm mortars,
AT-4 88mm,
SMAW Anti -tank rockets.

12)  
All Marines assigned to FAST must have completed the following training:
SOI (School of Infantry) ,
Security Force School - (NSGA-North West, Chesapeake, VA) (22 Days-Longer for NCOs and officers) - Teaches Combat Marksmanship (shotgun and pistol - all Security Forces are dual armed),
Room Clearing, etc.
FAST Training (5 weeks)-(NSGA- NSGA North West, Chesapeake, VA)
Additional training in Close Quarters Battle, submachine gun employment (MP-5)

13)According to the Marine Corps, the rapid-reaction teams get equipped specifically for the tasks they’re asked to perform, such as evacuating U.S. personnel from crisis areas.

14)  
Nickname - "Gunslingers"

15)  
Motto - Anytime, Anyplace

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Thursday, September 13, 2012

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