By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Brian Goodwin, Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group Public Affairs
USS SAN ANTONIO, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors aboard the amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio (LPD 17) are participating in Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) 08-4 off the U.S. eastern seaboard July 21-31.
JTFEX 08-4 serves as a ready-for-deployment certification event for the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group. It evaluates how ships work together in different tactical situations and prepares Sailors for deployment.
"JTFEX is scenario driven," said Cmdr. Kurt Kastner, San Antonio commanding officer. "It is as close to live action as we can get in a training environment."
The scenarios during JTFEX are scripted and designed to test the responses by crew members and evaluate decisions made by their leadership.
"These scenarios range from small boat boardings to communications with unidentified ships; it tests our ability to respond," said Lt. j.g. Greg Smith, assistant operations officer.
Sailors aboard San Antonio completed fleet synthetic training and composite unit training exercise (COMPTUEX) prior to participating in JTFEX.
"COMPTUEX helped us prepare for JTFEX and because of fleet synthetic training, we were able to have pier-side exercises with the other ships in our strike group," said Fire Controlman 1st Class (SW/AW) Kevin Sanders, combat systems leading petty officer.
"We held classes for the crew so they could be trained for various duties, including standing watch and visit, board, search and seizure exercises."
Smith said he is confident in the crew members' ability to do their jobs efficiently and set the standard for other ships in the fleet.
"The crew has trained long and hard for JTFEX, and we look forward to seeing positive results."
San Antonio is part of the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group, which also consists of the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7); the dock-landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50); the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72); the guided-missile destroyer USS Ramage (DDG 61); all homeported in Norfolk; the guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), homeported at Mayport, Fla.; and the fast attack submarine USS Hartford (SSN 768), homeported in Groton, Conn.
