thedrifter
11-19-03, 01:40 PM
Five Marine reserve units in county may be deployed to Iraq
4 from Pendleton, 1 from Miramar
By Rick Rogers
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
November 19, 2003
CAMP PENDLETON – More Marine reserve units from San Diego County are poised to leave for Iraq early next year than from anywhere else in the nation.
So far, four Camp Pendleton units and one Miramar Marine Corps Air Station unit have been told to expect a possible spring deployment. Of 1,500 total Marine reservists being alerted for active duty, about 400 are from San Diego-based commands.
Helicopter Marine Light Attack 775 with about 200 reserve members is the largest of the lot. The unit's "Coyotes" fly UH-1N Hueys and AH-1W Super Cobra gunships in support of Marines on the ground.
Executive Officer, Maj. Eddie Fox, said yesterday his unit is ready to go and believes that Marine tactics should thwart a spate of recent attacks that have downed three U.S. helicopters and killed at least 27 Army troops.
"If we fly the way we've been taught since we learned to fly, we will be fine," said Fox. "Marine Corps aviation is extremely sound. Our tactics will not change. We are in good shape."
He said that no special training is planned for the deployment because "we train for this every day and every month."
Here are the units alerted, along with their number of reservists:
Miramar-based Air Combat Element for Marine Air Group 46, 45 members; 4th Force Services Support Group, a 10-person air operations planning unit from Camp Pendleton; Camp Pendleton's 3rd Civil Affairs Group, 50 members; 1 Marine Augmentation Command Element from Camp Pendleton, 60 members; and Camp Pendleton-based Helicopter Marines Light Attack 775, 200 members.
The groups have concerns including Fox's unit.
The group is short a number of reserve pilots and is considering offers of former Marine pilots who want to come back.
"It's a concern," Fox said. "We can probably make due with less. We're looking at other reserve units, possibly taking some from active-duty and maybe keeping some people from leaving" the unit.
Unlike some Camp Pendleton Marines who are getting ready to deploy to the Middle East for the second time in a year, the Coyotes stayed home the last time around.
"If we go, this will be our first time," Fox said. "It won't be near so hard on us as on some others."
Capt. Jeff Pool, a spokesman for Marine Forces Reserve, said the units have only been alerted that they are being considered for deployment and that the final deployment order is still some time away.
At the height of the Iraq War, 23,000 Marine reservists were deployed with 75 percent of those serving in Iraq. Now, there are about 10,000 active duty reservists with most of those stationed stateside. The 1,500 are all going to Iraq for the next deployment.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rick Rogers: (760) 476-8212; rick.rogers@uniontrib.com
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20031119-9999_1m19reserves.html
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
4 from Pendleton, 1 from Miramar
By Rick Rogers
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
November 19, 2003
CAMP PENDLETON – More Marine reserve units from San Diego County are poised to leave for Iraq early next year than from anywhere else in the nation.
So far, four Camp Pendleton units and one Miramar Marine Corps Air Station unit have been told to expect a possible spring deployment. Of 1,500 total Marine reservists being alerted for active duty, about 400 are from San Diego-based commands.
Helicopter Marine Light Attack 775 with about 200 reserve members is the largest of the lot. The unit's "Coyotes" fly UH-1N Hueys and AH-1W Super Cobra gunships in support of Marines on the ground.
Executive Officer, Maj. Eddie Fox, said yesterday his unit is ready to go and believes that Marine tactics should thwart a spate of recent attacks that have downed three U.S. helicopters and killed at least 27 Army troops.
"If we fly the way we've been taught since we learned to fly, we will be fine," said Fox. "Marine Corps aviation is extremely sound. Our tactics will not change. We are in good shape."
He said that no special training is planned for the deployment because "we train for this every day and every month."
Here are the units alerted, along with their number of reservists:
Miramar-based Air Combat Element for Marine Air Group 46, 45 members; 4th Force Services Support Group, a 10-person air operations planning unit from Camp Pendleton; Camp Pendleton's 3rd Civil Affairs Group, 50 members; 1 Marine Augmentation Command Element from Camp Pendleton, 60 members; and Camp Pendleton-based Helicopter Marines Light Attack 775, 200 members.
The groups have concerns including Fox's unit.
The group is short a number of reserve pilots and is considering offers of former Marine pilots who want to come back.
"It's a concern," Fox said. "We can probably make due with less. We're looking at other reserve units, possibly taking some from active-duty and maybe keeping some people from leaving" the unit.
Unlike some Camp Pendleton Marines who are getting ready to deploy to the Middle East for the second time in a year, the Coyotes stayed home the last time around.
"If we go, this will be our first time," Fox said. "It won't be near so hard on us as on some others."
Capt. Jeff Pool, a spokesman for Marine Forces Reserve, said the units have only been alerted that they are being considered for deployment and that the final deployment order is still some time away.
At the height of the Iraq War, 23,000 Marine reservists were deployed with 75 percent of those serving in Iraq. Now, there are about 10,000 active duty reservists with most of those stationed stateside. The 1,500 are all going to Iraq for the next deployment.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rick Rogers: (760) 476-8212; rick.rogers@uniontrib.com
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20031119-9999_1m19reserves.html
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: