Patrol Forces Southwest Asia
PATFORSWA
DEPARTMENTS
Operations
The operations department is responsible for the dynamic patrol schedule
ensuring patrol boat resources are available for mission coverage within the
NAVCENT AOR. Additionally, the operations section includes personnel
responsible for the unit’s electronics systems.
Deck
The deck department provides shore side support by coordinating all port
operations. Personnel assist in maintaining cutter readiness by providing
import services which include painting and/or cleaning on main decks and
above. The deck department will work alongside both cutter and engineering
personnel during cutter port visits.
Engineering
The engineering department provides shore side maintenance support to
cutters during port visits. Engineering personnel are responsible for the
timely repairs of cutter casualties and coordinating drydock and dockside
maintenance. Engineering department personnel operate in a warehouse
environment when not working on cutters. Engineering personnel also support
operations of the Forward Operating Base in Kuwait.
PATFORSWA enjoys the luxury of a well supplied workshop allowing engineers
and damage control personnel to fabricate necessary items to facilitate
repairs.
Administration
The administration department is comprised of a health services,
administrative and SPO divisions. Health services division is responsible
for both sick call patient care treatment and medical readiness of unit
personnel. The Administrative and SPO divisions are responsible for ensuring
readiness of personnel by managing pay and administrative requirements. This
department also manages the unit’s inventory of vehicles, cell phones and
mail.
Supply
The supply department is responsible for the procurement and contracting
needs of the units. The department is also responsible for meeting the
unit’s budgetary requirements.
Weapons
The weapons department is a shore side support unit responsible for the
maintenance of all assigned weapons and marksmanship for the entire unit.
Gunners Mates assigned to a cutter coordinate with shore side personnel to
ensure readiness of cutter weapons systems and personnel.
The weapons department also manages the unit’s Anti-Terrorism and Force
Protection (AT/FP) program ensuring cutter crews are supplemented by shore
side personnel to provide pierside AT/FP watches by personnel from all shore
side departments.
Intelligence
The intelligence department is responsible for ensuring all personnel are
aware of current threats in the AOR. The department coordinates the unit’s
intelligence collection program and supplies information to assigned
cutters.
The intelligence department is also responsible for all of the unit’s
communications systems, as well as managing the Isolated Personnel Report (ISOPREP)
program.
Middle East Training Team
The Middle East Training Team (METT) is responsible for maintaining currency
of cutter boarding team VBSS qualifications. Additionally, personnel from
the team are often asked to participate in professional exchanges with other
coalition forces.
Cutters
Cutter personnel comprise the largest population of PATFORSWA unit members.
Cutter personnel can expect a high operations tempo (OPTEMPO), nearly twice
of CONUS based cutters. Cutter crews have been increased to accommodate the
higher OPTEMPO. Cutter personnel are based in Bahrain when not underway.
The following cutters are assigned to PATFORSWA:
CGC ADAK
CGC AQUIDNECK
CGC BARANOF
CGC MAUI
CGC MONOMOY
CGC WRANGELL
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