MSRON 1B and Djiboutian servicewomen completed Sea Sisters training event

DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti (13, 2024)-- Servicewomen from Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron (MSRON) 1B and Djibouti Coast Guard servicewomen completed Sea Sisters, a three-day, woman-led in personnel recovery exercise at the Port of Djibouti, November 6, 2024.
 
“Sea Sisters is one of the few direct engagements the U.S. military has with our Djiboutian partners,” said Chief Gunners Mate Lydia Cassard. “It provides an opportunity for building relationships, collaborating a joint event and learning from each other.”


The training exercise began with a classroom-based knowledge exchange and a briefing of events before moving out onto the water for training on search and rescue, tactical combat casualty care, water survival and weapons familiarization.
Sea Sisters began in 2023 when servicewomen from MSRON 11 conducted a maritime personnel recovery exercise with the Djiboutian Coast Guard servicewomen for the first time. Sea Sisters was started as a way to bring women from partner nations together for a common goal; to protect the port of Djibouti.
“Sea Sisters allows the opportunity for women of the MSRON to share their experience in the community and in their skillset to our partners,” said chief Cassard. “In turn, we get to hear them as well. It’s a huge exercise that we are always excited to be a part of and a chance to share knowledge and culture as well as make friends.”

The Sea Sisters engagement occurs biannually to prepare Djiboutian Coast Guard servicewomen to participate in the Bull Shark exercise, a joint personnel recovery exercise that brings maritime forces from the United States, Djibouti, Spain and France together. MSRON units assigned to Camp Lemonnier work with the Djiboutian Navy and Coast Guard for months each year to prepare for the regional exercise, practicing maritime skills, signaling, advanced navigation and casualty care. The exchange of knowledge and shared experiences serve to build trust.

About MSRON 1B and Camp Lemonnier

MSRON 1B is an expeditionary command that executes a full spectrum of combat and combat support missions, including littoral combat and embarked security trams on high value assets in support of global force management and major combat operations.
While assigned to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, MSRON 1B provides CLDJ’s 36 tenant commands and visiting naval vessels protection through 24/7 port security and escorting operations. CLDJ is an operational installation that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where and when they are needed to ensure security in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. (U.S. Navy Story by Mass Communication Specialist 2^nd Class Maurice Brown)