- Atlantic Strike Team (AST)
- Welcome Aboard!
- About the AST
- Commanding Officer
- Executive Officer
- Command Chief
- Command
- Logistics Department
- Chem Shop
- Deck Division
- Directions
- Engineer Division
- Facilities and Equipment
- Health and Safety
- Medical Office
- PCS Transfer Information
- Reserve Component
- Training Division
- Organization Chart
- Services We Provide
Security Levels
AST | Welcome Aboard!
Frequently Asked Questions
The Atlantic Strike Team is co-located with McGuire Air Force Base in Fort Dix, NJ
What is the housing situation at the team?
Government housing is available on Fort Dix, it is under new private contract management, United Communities. You can also live out on the economy, ask your sponsor for details on each.
How many days will I be deployed and how often?
This is a difficult question to answer, due to the nature of our job - emergency response. We do average around 180 days a year deployed and our “long” term deployments are usually around 3 weeks in length.
What are the educational opportunities in the area?
Numerous educational opportunities exist for our members and their families. The local community college is accredited and offers associate degrees in areas like computer science and business studies. Nearby Princeton and Temple Universities offer full- and part-time bachelors-degree programs. There is also the Education Center on McGuire, where both DANTES and CLEPS are given. Quite often members work through the CG Institute and use Phoenix University, or Thomas Edison State College to work on their degrees. The units ESO is LTjg Frank Kulesa.
What is our AOR?
What is our job?? What do we do?
Our job is unique, we respond to oil spills, HAZMAT releases and WMD type responses in direct support of both CG and EPA Federal On Scene Coordinators. The Strike Teams have been involved in all major disasters and events affecting the US ranging from the Exxon Valdez to Katrina and Rita. Teams have supported the Olympics, and Superbowl offering expertise in ICS, and WMD response.
What is the normal Plan of the Day / Week consist of?
Our work days are from 0700-1600 daily, we muster on Monday, Wednesday and Friday in PT gear at 0700 for a team stretch then individual or team sports till 0830. Tuesdays and Thursdays are full workdays, no PT. Monday at 1300 we have quarters. Fridays are unit field days and if done proper and no other requirements are going on we try to grant liberty by 1300.
What are the requirements of this newly issued phone of mine?
This phone of yours is the teams primary way of getting ahold of you the member. You are required to keep it on you at all times. In the event of an emergency recall (911) you will receive a text message stating such. It is your responsibility to call in or respond to the text and give your ETA to the unit. And safely make your way to the unit. Once there go to the watch desk, check in and proceed to the classroom.
What is the units recall policy?
As outlined in the personal manual, while stationed here you will be on extended recall for most of your time. We are all in a one hour recall. Which means from the time the phone goes off you have an hour to make it back to the unit ready for immediate deployment. If for some reason you are unable to make it back in that time frame, you have a grace period up to three hours. If you are planning on being outside the three hour window you will need to submit an out of bounds request chit and that can give you up to six hours, beyond that you will need to take leave.
Will I need a passport?
Yes you will. This is part of your check in. See the Admin page for a hyperlink to the application.
What is the units Response posture and policy?
- 2 Members dispatched immediately
- 4 Members within 4 hours
- 12 members within 12 hours
- We can call on the other Strike Teams (PST or GST) for additional support
What sort of Duty will I be standing?
We do not have any duty response that you will be standing other than what was mentioned above. We do have a OOD/JOOD who is responsible for the unit, duty driver runs etc. They stand duty one week at a time from Tuesday to Tuesday. Duty is stood from home with a phone and a briefcase, there are no over night watches performed.
Is there a Church on the base? Where is it?
Will I ever have to deploy overseas?
There is always a potential, each Strike Team has an overseas area they are responsible for. The AST handles Eastern Europe for the most part. These deployments don’t come up that often, but there is always a potential.
“The World’s Best Responders: Any Time, Any Place, Any Hazard.”
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