LV Marine part of anti-terrorism team

Dick Benoit

Thursday, June 17, 2004 | 8:28 a.m.

Pfc. Cody Coss, son of Donald and Judy Coss of Las Vegas, is one of more than 50 active-duty Marines assigned to 2nd Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team Company (2nd FAST), 3rd Platoon, based at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Va.

The 2nd FAST Co. conducts daily anti-terrorism training and deploys throughout the world to protect units vital to national security.

"The training is nonstop; it has to be because we always need to be prepared to handle any type of situation we are tasked with," said Coss, a 2003 graduate of Advanced Technologies Academy.

The company's primary missions include site security, physical security for special nuclear material and strategic weapons, maritime security, convoy operations, pier-side security, and security reinforcement at naval and national installations, including embassies.

Every member of the platoon is vital in completing these missions. As an infantryman, Coss is responsible for maintaining constant readiness on patrols, in the field, while standing duty and during training.

"We provide site security for whatever the situation may call for. If something happens at an embassy or with nuclear weapons, we will be involved somehow," he said.

Over the past six years, 2nd FAST Company, 3rd Platoon has conducted operations in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salam, Tanzania, Macedonia and Liberia.

In brief

Papaz's unit is an intervention force with the ability to rapidly organize and conduct boat raids, tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel, noncombatant evacuation operations and humanitarian assistance.