Port Security Unit


The United States Coast Guard's Port Security Units are Deployable Specialized Forces organized for sustained expeditionary security and anti-terrorism. They perform anti-terrorism force protection missions, which include harbor and port security, expeditionary security, protection of High Value Assets and Sea Lines of Communications, and coastal surveillance. PSUs are expeditionary units that conduct OCONUS missions in support of a requesting regional combatant commander. PSUs usually operate under the direction of the Coast Guard's Pacific Area command but are unique in that they are the only Coast Guard units that can be quickly requested by the Department of Defense.
PSUs often operate and integrate with the Marines and Navy Expeditionary Combat Command elements. PSUs are also the only Coast Guard element that provide land warfare security capabilities to the Coast Guard.
PSUs were originally part of the Coast Guard's Deployable Operations Group until it was decommissioned; PSUs are now a part of the reorganized Deployable Specialized Forces, which includes Maritime Security Response Teams, Maritime Safety and Security Teams, and Tactical Law Enforcement Teams.

History

The Port Security program of the U.S. Coast Guard began as a result of the Black Tom explosion and the passage of the Espionage Act of 1917. The Coast Guard's Captains of the Port were given responsibility for the security of port areas under this act. During World War I, port security operations were conducted by active-duty personnel.
After World War I, interest in port security decreased until images of burning ships visible from US coastlines, as the country entered World War II, rekindled media and public concern. In World War II, the Coast Guard increased its involvement in port security by conducting more coastal patrols, defending waterfront structures, and assuring the safe movement of ships. This entailed searching merchant vessels, supervising combat loading, and seacoast defenses such as machine gun nests. The Temporary Reserve was created and made up of armed volunteers under command of the captain of the port. Over 125,000 citizens would eventually serve as Temporary Reserves.
During the early 1980s, Department of Defense planners formally identified the need for port security forces in OCONUS seaports. Dialogue began between the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard, and the concept of the deployable Port Security Unit was born. In January 1985, the commandant of the Coast Guard approved three national PSUs to respond to the requirements of Department of Defense operations plans. The three units were located in the U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes District, then known as District 9, at: Buffalo, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In addition to more recent operations around the world, PSUs were first deployed to the Persian Gulf during the Gulf War in 1990. They operated in Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy in 1994, responded to Port-au-Prince immediately after the devastating 2010 earthquake, and responded to various natural disasters in the United States, such as Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Ida. In December 2000, PSU 309 from Port Clinton, Ohio was deployed to the Middle East to provide vital force protection for U.S. Navy assets following the attack on the USS Cole. In 2009, PSUs provided waterside security at the Presidential Inauguration and the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh, PA.
PSUs have played an active role during the war on terror and have been deployed on numerous operations such as Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
PSUs 309, 311, and 313 served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and operated under Naval Coastal Warfare Group One. In March 2003, an amphibious force composed largely of British Royal Marines initiated an amphibious assault against Iraqi defenses on the Al Faw Peninsula, the location of many Iraqi oil facilities. In the Battle of Al Faw, shortly after the oil terminals had been cleared of Iraqi troops, explosives, and weapons by Navy SEAL and Marine assault teams, PSUs 311 and 313 arrived to take control of the facilities. PSU boats met the U.S. Army's large landing craft Mechanicsville and formed up in close formation near it to complete their transit to the oil facilities. PSUs also helped secure and establish the beachhead for the USAV Mechanicsville's beach landing, while a shoreside element of the PSU units reached the boat landing by convoy to help secure the port. They helped unload army vehicles and prepared for operations. While most of the coalition forces had secured the port earlier, snipers occasionally harassed the landing element and PSUs.
Days later, an element of PSUs moved into Umm Qasr with coalition forces. NCWG 1 reassigned PSU 311 from its original mission and tasked it with providing port and perimeter security at Umm Qasr on the Khor Abd Allah Waterway during the Battle of Umm Qasr. Meanwhile, remaining members of PSUs 309, 311, and 313 back-filled port security needs at the back at the port of Ash Shuaybah.

Training

In addition to completing A-school training for their respective billets, members of Port Security Units receive training at the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune's Special Missions Training Center. Training at SMTC includes close-quarters combat, military operations in urban terrain, CBRN defense, tactical combat casualty care, tactical coxswain, opposing force tactical coxswain, tactical bow gunner, land navigation, Entry Control Points, vehicle searches, rear area security, crew-served weapons, convoy operations, patrolling, individual movements, & squad movements. Practical and live fire training exercises are also conducted.

Capabilities

Port Security Units are the Coast Guard's expeditionary forces and are a quick response force capable of rapid worldwide deployment They can deploy within 96 hours and establish operations within 24 hours of arrival. They provide security for forward deployed base camps and ports around the world where needed. Some of the units' capabilities include, but are not limited to:
Each Port Security Unit has several fast and maneuverable 32-foot Transportable Port Security Boats. Each unit is outfitted with spare material, pick-up trucks, boat trailers, transportable kitchens, tents, and Department of Defense-compatible radios. They maintain an inventory of equipment and spare parts to sustain operations for up to 90 days. Ongoing logistics support provides routine replenishment. All personnel have individual gear for field operations.
The PSU has a large suite of weapons available to them, compared to most Coast Guard units. Members of the Waterside Security Division and Shoreside Security Division use a variety of light and crew-served weapons, including 7.62 mm M240 machine guns,.50 caliber Browning machine guns, M4 carbines, 9mm Glock 19 & SIG Sauer P229R DAK service pistols, 40 mm M203 grenade launchers, and 12-gauge Remington 870 shotguns.

Organization

Each Port Security Unit is staffed by 150-200 reservists and 6 active-duty personnel. The officer may or may not be a reservist. Personnel prepare for contingency operations during monthly drills and normally participate in exercises and specialized training during their annual active-duty training.
There are 8 Port Security Units:
PSUs may operate independently or support, train or integrate with other units, such as:
The Waterside Security Division is equipped with six Kvichak 32-foot Transportable Port Security Boats, which are the fourth generation of the TPSBs used by the Coast Guard for the port security missions. These boats are armed with three mounted machine guns, in addition to the crew's personal weapons.
The main purpose of the Waterside Security Division is to provide maritime protection to key HVAs, such as warships and military supply vessels, military bases, ports, harbors, and piers. Through the use of vigilant escort and patrol techniques, the HVA is protected from asymmetrical threats, such as assaults by small boats or swimmers.
The Waterside Security Division consists of boatswain's mates, gunner's mates, machinery technicians, and Maritime Law Enforcement Specialists, led by a division officer and assistant division officer. Each TPSB is crewed by enlisted personnel, consisting of a Tactical Coxswain and Tactical Boat Crew members, one of which is a qualified engineer.

Shoreside Security Division

The Shoreside Security Division is the ground element of the PSUs. They are often tasked with providing protection to vessels in security zones and pier areas and security for internal unit functions, such as joint command areas, communications centers, berthing areas, entry control points, and vehicle control points. SSD personnel are also trained in defensive fighting position construction, convoy operations, individual movements, and patrolling.
Image:USCG PSU 307.jpg|thumb|180px|Members of Coast Guard PSU 307 from Clearwater, Florida deployed to Middle East region to help protect the Port of Ash Shuaiba
The Shoreside Security Division consists of Maritime Law Enforcement Specialists, led by a division officer and assistant division officer. It is subdivided into squads with 3 four-person fireteams each. Each squad and fireteam has a designated squad or fireteam leader.