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The Naval Coastal Warfare community is a component of the United States Navy, part of Naval Expeditionary Combat Command. It is undergoing a major overhaul and transitioning to the Maritime Expeditionary Security Force, units affected range from Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit's to Inshore Boat Units. "The Maritime Expeditionary Security Force’s formerly known as the Mobile Security Forces(MSF) primary mission is force protection conducted through fleet support with operations around the world. Anti-Terrorism and Force Protection missions include harbor and homeland defense, coastal surveillance, and special missions. Specialized units work together with MESF squadron staffs providing intelligence and communications. MESF units deploy worldwide to detect, deter, and defend an area, unit, or High Value Asset. Recent locations include the United States, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates, and Egypt.
Two Maritime Expeditionary Security Groups in San Diego and Portsmouth, Virginia. provide centralized planning, control, training, coordination, equipping, and integration of coastal warfare assets trained to operate in high density, multi-threat environments. Units conduct force protection of strategic shipping and naval vessels operating in the inshore and coastal assets, anchorages and harbors, from bare beach to sophisticated port facilities." Members of this community are highly encouraged to earn their Expeditionary Warfare Specialist Designation.