PTA Training Prepares Units For

HAWAII MarineServing MCAS Kaneohe Bay, MEB, Camp H.M. Smith and Marine Barracks. Octobor 22,1992 Vol. 21, No. 41 ist PTA training prepares units for UDP Ground combat troops were shrinking training budgets, it is exercise." went mobile as command cells 60mm mortar, 81mm mortars and By Sgt. Jason Erickson comprised of the 1st and 2d also one of only a few exercises Using a book of standard from its various subordinate units artillery rounds and 40,000 9mm sta wiltor Battalions of the 3d Marines; where a 1st MEB task force can requirements for both a helicopter maneuvered around the training pistol rounds. Company A, 3d Combat Engineer exercise staff -level training. squadron and an infantry area on simulated missions. It took two full ammunition As the final days of PTA 1-93 Battalion; Company A, 3d The month-long exercises were battalion, the units were tested "We concentrated heavily on fire barges and several airlifts to wind down, elements of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion; and scheduled in pyramid style. task for task. support from 1/12, mortars, embark all the munitions. Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Batteries A, B and C of 1st Beginning first with small unit "We'll be going right down the simulated naval gunfire and air approximately which have been here since late Battalion, 12th Marines. They operations, exercises worked up list to check every required support," Judge said. This gave Additionally, September honing battle skills, were by aviators from and battery level then 60,000 square feet of equipment joined to company capability," Judge said prior to staff members, radio operators, was shipped to the Big Island for are all but finished with their Marine Medium Helicopter battalion and finally task force the MCCRES. He added that artillery batteries, mortar sections exercises. Judge said the month-long training evolution. Squadron 364. Support came from level. these tasks were to be built into and forward observers the What remains is the tedious task Support The culmination of the entire total cost for the exercise was Combat Service a comprehensive senario that comprehensive training. $500,000. This, he of cleaning Big Island dust off 38 Marine Wing exercise came to a head in the approximately Detachment and tasked both HMM-364 and 2/3. During the individual troop said,is less than the brigade used their gear and waiting for flight Support Squadron 174. final week with the simultaneous One of the "build up" exercises build-up exercises, nearly 500,000 back to civilization. to 3d Marines MCCRES (Marine Corps Combact to spend, and it pays for much According which helped prepare staff rounds of various ammunitions less. The exercise brought nearly Operations Officer Maj. Dennis Readiness Evaluation Standards) members for the MCCRES was were expended. This included 2,000 Marines from several units Judge, the main emphasis of PTA testingof both 2/3 and HMM-364," Valiant Fire. During this three- 160,000 squad automatic weapon "We have to be creative about together under the umbrella of is to prepare 1st MEB units for Judge said. "Everything else can day exercise, the command (SAW) rounds, 115,000 M16A2 how we conduct the evolution Task Force 3d Marines. deployment to the Far East. With be considered a build-up to this element of Task Force 3d Marines rounds, 3,000 rounds each of nowadays," Judge added. Operations cease Marine MEB begins stand-down The order outlines the saves. By Sgt. Kevin Doll maintenance stand-down, salt Wafer breaking it into two distinct categories, corrective and girl Due to the recent heavy load preventive. Corrective of operational commitments, all maintenance either requires no units of the 1st Marine repair parts or the parts are on Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) will hand and the unit is authorized By Sgt. Kevin Doll cease all but essential operations to repair the equipment. Staff Writer soon and begin a maintenance Preventive maintenance is actions stand-down. to preserve equipment and protect One often hears of heroism by Company B, 7th it from deterioration. Marines in far away places, Communication Bn., will begin The order also states the stand- usually on the battlefield. But the stand-down Monday and down is not meant to be used to for Sgt. Tim Froemming, G-6, continue until Nov. 5. Marine catch up on scheduled checks FMFPac, he didn't have to go far Aircraft Group-24 will conduct its which have been set aside or the to save the life of a little girl. discover stand-down Nov. 2-9, with time to define or and remaining 1st MEB units catching problems. Examples of stand- The Camp Smith Marine down tasks include cleaning and his wife Denise were in their back up on needed maintenance from their car AMR Nov. 12-20. adjusting individual and crew- yard washing at According to LtCol. William S. served weapons, airing and housing Oct. 12 when they heard repairing tentage, reconciling a scream. Not thinking much of Gerichten II, 1st MEB assistant they live around a lot of G-4, the stand-down provides unit maintenance and supply records it since and sanding, priming and spot military families, the Froemmings commanders with the necessary washing the car. time to apply maximum effort to painting equipment. continued the maintenance of their "The stand-down is a time for But Froemming said he'll never equipment and updating of their unite to catch their breath and forget what occurred next. maintenance records and give full efforts to improving our Their next-door neighbor's door accounts. maintenance and supply flung open and out ran 11-year- "This year has been very busy readiness," Gerichten said. This old Nicole Nesbitt, her dress and operationally for each (major "combat readiness" is actually hair ablaze. subordinate command). If units what Marine leaders take a hard "I just sprinted the 25 feet to keep using their gear and don't look at when inspecting their her, ripped the front of her dress have a stand-down, we could be equipment and maintenance off, pushed her to the ground and sacrificing our operational records. rolled her," said the 25-year-old readiness and responsiveness," he "We basically need to know if Milwaukee, Wis., native.. "I said. Gerichten cites the two the equipment can 'shoot, move screamed to Denise to call 911 Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) or communicate,"' said Cpl. and started patting out the fire exercises, one combined arms William P. Atwater, 1st MEB in Nicole's hair." exercise in Twentynine Palms, maintenance management chief. After calling 911, Denise Calif., Union Pacific, Freedom "We do this through the combat returned 'with a towel to cover Banner, Tandem Thrust, Tonga reporting records of the Marine Nicole and they started spraying and the Guam and Kauai Corps Integrated Maintenance her down with water to cool her hurricane relief operations among Management System (MIMMS)." burns. the commitments the Marines and According to Atwater, MIMMS "I told Denise to watch her and machines of 1st MEB have keeps a weekly record of the PTA 1-93 I went in to call the Ft. Shafter recently supported. combat readiness of the police since an ambulance hadn't Among the gear to be inspected equipment of every unit in the A cammie-clad communicator with combat engineers keeps in contact with helicopters arrived yet," Froemming said. is equipment that was pulled from Marine Corps. Not only does it inserting Marines Into a tactical landing zone during a raid at PTA. The Marines were fast "They got one there in about 20 the Combat Ready Storage identify what equipment a unit roped Into the LZ a few clicks from their objective. For more photos of PTA see page A-8. minutes even though it seemed Program, stored at Ford Island, has but whether it is functioning like forever." Two ambulances Pearl Harbor. Some of this gear or under repair and what type of eventually answered the call, was used for the hurricane relief maintenance is required to bring along with a couple of firetrucks efforts. it back on line. It is with these and Ft. Shafter MPs on bikes. "Gear often needs more than reports that maintenance-related Congress okays Defense bill "Before help came, we started the regular amount of problems can be identified and applying first aid, like keeping maintenance and inspection that corrected as soon as possible. program illustrates the confidence The U.S. Navy T-45 Training her skin wet, elevating her feet, units normally perform during "We're all here for the same Joint Public Affairs Office they have in the aircraft that system, a comprehensive program trying to calm Nicole down and training and operations," he said. purpose," Gerichten said. "This will be the center piece of naval built around the T-45 Goshawk get her mind off of what had "First MEB order 4700.10B stand-down is another way to aviation well into the 21st aircraft, was fully funded with happened," Froemming said. "She Tactical fighter, military trainer century," a spokesman. $256 million for production of 12 addresses the importance of keep the MEB ready for its aircraft, missile and helicopter said was so worried about missing regularly scheduling maintenance operational commitments and Also included is $944 million to air-craft plus $26 million in long- school and her friends." Nicole stand-downs." programs fared well in the $254 lead funding for 18 more aircraft contingencies." billion fiscal year 1993 defense fund development of the was transported to Straub upgraded F/A-18E/F Hornet, in fiscal year 1994. Another $52 Hospital in Honolulu. appropriations bill Congress million for research and approved Oct.

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