NANAY NAVAL BASE, IQUITOS, Peru -- In the remote, steamy jungles of the Amazon River Basin, 240 miles south of the equator, a small, U.S. Marine-led team is taking advantage of the unique riverine training environment presented, by advising and instructing their host nation counterparts.
Requested by the Peruvian National Government, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South, provides a nine- to 12-man Riverine Support Team (RST) to train Peruvian naval and law enforcement personnel in conventional riverine operations.
"The Riverine Support Team provides the Government of Peru the capacity to train their police and naval forces in conventional riverine tactics, techniques and procedures," said Master Sgt. Nelson Torres, SNCOIC of the RST. "The curriculum that was developed by the RST, and that now is being taught by Peruvian instructors includes: tactics and planning for riverine operations, maritime law enforcement, maintenance and maintenance management, outboard engine repair, fiberglass repair, marksmanship, first aid and field medicine, land navigation, and of course, riverine navigation."
Members of the RST serve an average of 180 days on Temporary Additional Duty (TAD) status, are qualified Spanish speakers, and possess specialized skills in a wide array of areas in order to best support the training. The RST accompanies the host nation students and instructors throughout all training evolutions and periods of instruction. According to Torres, the desired end-state is to provide the Peruvian National Government with a capability to train and sustain its own military and law enforcement personnel in riverine operations by early 2002.
The riverine training takes place at the Joint Peruvian Riverine Training Center (JPRTC) on Nanay Naval Base in Iquitos, Peru, a port city ideally located along the Amazon River.
Since its inception in 1998, more than 500 students have graduated the 15-week course, which is broken down into five phases.
In the first phase of training, students study human rights, first aid, weapons marksmanship, communications, and land navigation.
Phase II focuses on specialized training for individual students in the areas of ground tactics, maritime law enforcement, coxswain skills, riverine operations, boat maintenance, and fiberglass repair as well as advanced first aid and field medical training.
During Phase III, the students train together, giving them an opportunity to unite and exercise their specialized training.
In Phase IV, students cross-train in each different specialty. The students are evaluated and certified in Phase V.
Learning in all phases centers around Mako, Boston Whaler and Northport patrol boats, the primary tools of the riverine program. Each craft is equipped with state-of-the-art marine communications and navigation systems, dual 150hp outboard motors and machinegun mounts.
Combine nearly impenetrable jungles in the east, with 7,000 miles of inland waterways and Latin culture, and Peru provides the U.S. Marines assigned to the RST an invaluable training opportunity.
"The Amazon is a pure riverine and jungle environment as opposed to Camp Lejeune. The advantage is that there are little to no restrictions on training," explained Lt. Col. Albert Estrada, RST officer-in-charge. "The ability to speak Spanish gives us tremendous credibility with the Peruvians and is an opportunity for us to perfect our Spanish in a unique training environment."