Greg Ponzi News

A Miami-based U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment operating as part of Combined Task Force 151 in the Gulf of Aden assisted in the apprehension of 16 suspected pirates in a 24 hour period. The eight-person LEDET 405 team is conducting counter-piracy operations aboard USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) and USS Mahan (DDG 72) as part of a multinational task force in and around the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. "Our role is to augment and train U.S. Navy visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) teams," said Lt.j.g. Greg Ponzi, officer in charge of LEDET 405. On Feb.

On board USS San Antonio (LPD 17), Navy and Coast Guard boarding teams ,which are part of Combined Task Force 151, a multinational counterpiracy task force, train to ensure safe and successful operations in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Red Sea and Indian Ocean. "Our visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) teams will play a central role here, as will the ship's ability to survey the water and air space to search for suspected pirates," said Lt. Cmdr. Sean Kearns, San Antonio's executive officer. San Antonio has 14 Navy VBSS team members, which includes two Navy boarding officers. The Coast Guard personnel are members of Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 405. The detachment is comprised of eight members, all of whom are qualified as boarding officers.