December 2011/January 2012 - Navy
By LCDR John Gay, USN
Public Affairs Officer
Navy Expeditionary Combat Command

The Navy Riverine Force completed its mission in Iraq with great success in October 2010, and the lessons learned from multiple deployments validate the importance of the Riverine capability for future missions.

In Iraq, the Riverines operated from the shore and provided direct support for ground forces. Today, the Riverines expanded their capability and proved they can also operate from Navy ships. The successful launch and recovery of two Riverine Command Boats (RCB) and a Riverine Patrol Boat (RPB) aboard USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) May 31, 2011, opened the door for future missions. Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 3, Detachment 1 deployed in October 2010 with 28 Sailors and 2 RPBs aboard USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) to participate in Amphibious-Southern Partnership Station. The Riverines conducted exercises with the Colombian Navy that built strong partnerships that enhanced the skills of both Navies.

“This deployment emphasizes interoperability with the Colombians,” said LT Jared McClain, Assistant Officer in Charge, RIVRON 3, Detachment 1. “They (the Colombian Navy) have a great deal of experience in Riverine operations in the jungle, so we’ll learn a lot from them.” Riverines provide the Navy a capability across the warfare spectrum to meet maritime strategies. They are able to deploy from a small five-person team up to a detachment or squadron level deployment. The impact is more Sailor-to-Sailor and allows the Riverines to set the groundwork for repeat and extended relationships between other nation’s small boat forces.

“The Riverines ability to go in and do small unit to small unit engagement is exactly what the maritime strategy talks about, and doing that in a joint fashion builds a lot of cooperation amongst seafaring nations,” said Chris Halton, Commodore of Riverine Group (RIVGRU) 1. “Whether it’s the near coast mission in the future or the brown water mission we do today, we are able to go from a small mobile training team on up to a combat focused, engaged unit.”

In 2007, nine months after the formation of Riverine Group, Riverine Squadron 1 deployed to Anbar province, Iraq and relieved the U.S. Marines of their mission and assumed responsibility for the equipment in Haditha and Ramadi. Within weeks, the Riverines were actively engaged in combat operations fighting side by side with the Marines.

Early Riverine missions focused on patrols using a two-section rotation that lasted up to four-to-five days.By the end of the nine-month maiden deployment, Riverines had captured more than 100 insurgents, uncovered more than 75 significant weapons caches and provided combat capability in direct support of Marine Corps operations. In addition to combat operations, Riverines established the first training academy to train Iraqi waterborne security teams in Al Qaim.

Over the next four years, Riverines provided maritime security and interdiction along 10,000 km of the Iraqi inland waterways, and made significant contributions to Iraq by completing seven deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. Squadrons completed more than 600 combat missions, more than 430 Riverine combat patrols, more than 360 boat missions, and more than 190 convoys. They also registered nearly 1,000 Iraqi boats and trained over 1,000 Iraqi security forces personnel.

“Every patrol was different; we’d go out for four-tofive days at a time and stay on the boat.” said Chief Boatswain’s Mate Gerald Russo, RIVRON 1. “We have a tight-knit group. Every time you go outside the wire, you are literally with family. You go out there and do your thing and you all come back together.”

Missions focused on everything from convoys in the Anbar province to patrolling from the far western town of Al-Qaim near the Syrian border to the southern areas near Ramadi. Each patrol carried with it a myriad of challenges and dangers.

“Most improvised explosive devices (IED) were on the roads, but there was also a danger in the water, too,” said Russo. “We had a waterborne IED that was on the river bank aimed toward where the boats would have passed, but the insurgent jumped the gun and detonated it before we got there. So we were pretty lucky.”

The Riverines rapid success throughout seven deployments provided them a variety of skill sets that they will apply in future maritime expeditionary missions.

“Riverines deployed repetitively to the combat zone of Iraq, and they worked with a variety of U.S. forces as well as with the Iraqi forces,” said Halton. “They have also gone from zero to 60...five years ago there was no Riverine force. In a very short time, we stood up three full mission capable squadrons and the headquarters Riverine group that trained and executed combat missions in a very compressed time period.”

Riverine forces can operate throughout the world’s 113 major river systems and brown water environment. They trace their history back to the Vietnam conflict. After the conflict, the Navy transferred the Riverine capability to the U.S. Marine Corps until the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review recommended shifting it back to the Navy. The Riverines are once again a full mission capable Navy capability.

The new Riverine Force needed sea warriors and reached out to the fleet for volunteers.

“I’ve been with the Riverines since they started back up in 2006,” said Russo. “I was a coxswain in the fleet and nominated for the Riverines.”

Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 1, the first of three Riverine squadrons, was formally established May 25, 2006, at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, VA; and in less than two weeks, the 220 Sailors of RIVRON 1 shifted operations to Camp Lejeune, NC, to begin training.

Riverine Sailors complete a long list of schools before they are fully qualified. The first school is the five-week Riverine Combat Skills Course at Camp Lejeune, followed by another two months at Special Mission Training Command for either boat captain or combat craft boat coxswain training. They move on to a four-week convoy training course at various locations, then back to Camp Lejeune for five weeks of Riverine security. After one week of language and culture training, they are ready for their final two weeks at Camp Lejeune for Command Riverine Certification.

The three Riverine squadrons are comprised of Sailors of many different ratings. While all Sailors are trained for “the blue water Navy,” Riverines are also trained to operate in the “brown water” of rivers and inland waterways, and in the “green water” near shore environment. In the Riverines, Boatswain’s Mates function as the combat coxswain, Operations Specialists run the operations center, and Seabees take charge of combat gear.

Riverine Sailors receive tactics training on three different Riverine boats. The Riverine Patrol Boat (RPB) has a crew of five and can carry 13 combat-loaded troops. The RPB is designed to provide tactical mobility and personnel transport for a ground combat element in a Riverine environment. It has an aluminum hull with beaching plates and is armored for small arms ballistic protection. It cruises at 35 knots and has three mounts for M2 .50-caliber, M240B 7.62mm, Mk19 40mm machine guns, or Mk44 GAU-17 7.62mm guns.

The Riverine Assault Boat (RAB) is designed for Riverine combat operations in a Riverine environment. The RAB is capable of operating in shallow, confined waters, is fast and maneuverable, and is capable of suppressing fire or breaking contact with hostile. The aluminum RAB is 34 feet, 11 inches in length, armored for small arms ballistic protection and capable of transporting up to 15 passengers and crew. It is capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots and has five mounts for M2 .50-caliber, M240B 7.62mm, Mk19 40mm machine guns, or Mk44 GAU-17 7.62mm guns.

The Riverine Command Boat (RCB) is designed to provide command and control, tactical mobility and personnel transport for 18 troops in the Riverine environment. The hull is aluminum construction with robust beaching plates and is armored for small arms ballistic protection. At 49 feet in length, it can reach speeds in excess of 40 knots. There are four mounts for M2 .50-caliber, 7.62mm M240B, Mk19 40mm machine guns, or Mk44 GAU-17 7.62mm guns.

The RAB and RPB have a range of about 250 nautical miles and the RCB has a range over 320 nautical miles. All Riverine boats can be transported in various cargo aircraft for rapid deployment or aboard U.S. Navy amphibious ships.

The training each Riverine Sailor completes is not only unique and beneficial to the Riverine Force, in the long run, but also it benefits the fleet with a Sailor who is trained for additional responsibilities and jobs. “We provide the fleet trained and ready forces that are able to operate as small units almost anywhere in the world,” said Halton.

Riverine volunteers quickly undertake more responsibility and authority, which increases a Sailor’s value when they return to the fleet. “One thing that enticed me was the small unit leadership,” said LTjg Gordan Van Cook. “Here, the emphasis is a little bit different than the fleet, and it’s more focused on the Sailors. You’re making sure your guys are ready to go through the training cycle.”

The Riverine Sailors not only have a close-knit bond with each other but also they’re better prepared to handle more complex duties in future assignments.

“I think, for the fleet, they get a Sailor who is experienced in small unit tactics,” added Halton. “They get a Sailor who has had a lot of responsibility at a very junior pay grade, that’s officer and enlisted, and the fleet gets someone who knows how to mission plan.

“Developing and strengthening partnerships with foreign countries, developing more cooperative training, and conducting maritime security on inland waters are other opportunities available for the Riverines,” added Halton.

The Riverine Force, part of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, is a combat-arms force that performs point defense, fire support and interdiction operations along coastal and inland waterways to defeat enemies and support U.S. Marines and coalition forces.