Sailors, former Riverines, and family members attended a disestablishment ceremony for Naval Expeditionary Combat Command’s Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 3 at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Jan. 17.
The disestablishment marks the merger of offensive Riverine forces with defensive Maritime Expeditionary Security Forces to form the Coastal Riverine Force (CORIVFOR), formally established June 1.
The ceremony featured Capt. Frederick A. Olds, retired Vietnam veteran and former Riverine, as the guest speaker to highlight the legacy of Riverine capability in the Navy as well as a transfer of authority between RIVRON 3’s Cmdr. William H. Snyder III and CORIVFOR’s Cmdr. Jeremy P. Jurkoic.
CORIVFOR’s primary mission is to conduct maritime security operations across all phases of military operations by defending high value assets, critical maritime infrastructure, ports and harbors, both inland and on coastal waterways, and when commanded, conduct offensive combat operations.
The budget-initiated merger moved portions of the force to San Diego as part of the National Defense Strategy’s rebalance to the Pacific, which will bring Riverine capability to the West coast for the first time since 1974, according to Capt. Eric B. Moss, commander of Coastal Riverine Group 1, formerly Maritime Expeditionary Security Group 1.
“The Riverine forces will do what they’ve always done, which is continuing to hone their skills and work in brown water and green water areas,” said Moss. “There is no abatement of requirements. We continue to get missions and are sourced to meet those requirements. We’re doing the same with less.”
The merge cuts the former seven active Maritime Expeditionary Security Force (MESF) squadrons and three active RIVRONs down to three active Coastal Riverine squadrons and four reserve squadrons.
“This is a reduction in capacity, but not in capability,” said Moss. “I would say this is a very affordable force. We are light, expeditionary, and bring a lot capability in small packages. We are familiar with disaggregated operations, so immediately we give the combatant commander a tailor-able and scalable force.”
The ceremony was emotional for most of the Riverines, many of which had been with the squadron since its beginning and will not follow the move to San Diego.
“Change isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just weird looking back on everything I’ve done and seeing new changes come in,” said Quartermaster 1st Class Andrew McKnight, who served with RIVRON 3 in Iraq. “They will definitely have the growing pains of two different units merging forces and figuring out everybody’s place, but I think it’s a good thing. It’s a good day to look forward.”
Commissioned July 6, 2007, RIVRON 3 served two deployments in Iraq, fulfilling a total of 502 combat missions, 268 water security operations and countless U.S./Iraq tactical convoy operations.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, January 22, 2013; Image: US Navy