Naval Commandos
The Naval Commandos are the Special Operations component of the Dominican Navy and are only employed in emergency situations. The Naval Commandos are capable of undertaking unconventional warfare, hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, VBSS (Visit Board Search and Seizure) and are experts in handling explosives and amphibious operations. They are also trained in parachuting, hand to hand combat, CQC and other key skills. The team's armament includes the M16 rifle with the M203 grenade launcher, the Colt M-4A1, M-14 rifle, Mossberg 500 shotgun, the M-60 machine gun and small arms. The team operates inflated zodiac boats, RHIBs, and night vision goggles, among other equipment.
Some team members first saw action during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Dominican troops, comprising a battalion of special components of the Dominican Armed forces, were under constant mortar attacks but suffered no casualties. While in Iraq, the troops were serving in the Plus Ultra Brigade, which was under Spanish command and operating in Southern Iraq.
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Famous quotes containing the words naval and/or commandos:
“It is now time to stop and to ask ourselves the question which my last commanding officer, Admiral Hyman Rickover, asked me and every other young naval officer who serves or has served in an atomic submarine. For our Nation M for all of us M that question is, “Why not the best?””
—Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.)
“In the genuine hope that this peace will be permanent, we take the opportunity to pay homage to all our fighters, commandos and volunteers who have paid the supreme sacrifice. They did not die in vain. The union is safe.”
—Combined Loyalist Military Command. New York Times, p. A12 (October 14, 1994)