Phantom Blooper
01-16-04, 07:30 AM
January 16,2004
ERIC STEINKOPFF
DAILY NEWS STAFF
One of the Marine Corps' new 7-ton Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement trucks is missing from a 2nd Marine Division unit on Camp Lejeune, officials said Thursday.
The vehicle was in the motor pool belonging to Echo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, on Monday morning when the unit went to train in the field. When troops returned on Wednesday, the truck was gone, said Camp Lejeune spokeswoman Capt. Teresa Ovalle.
"After an extensive search on the base," unit leaders reported the missing vehicle to the Criminal Investigative Division of the base Provost Marshal's Office, Ovalle said.
The vehicle has been entered into the National Crime Information Center system, a national data base law enforcement officers use to report and track stolen vehicles and property and missing or wanted people.
"There are no suspects, and there is an ongoing investigation," Ovalle said.
The military has been testing the new 7-ton truck for the past several years. The vehicle is intended to replace the Marine Corps' aging 5-ton truck fleet and would be used as a primary means of transporting ammunition, fuel, water and supplies, troops or engineering equipment.
The vehicle features a 425-horsepower, electronically controlled engine, a seven-speed continuous power automatic transmission; six-wheel independent suspension and antilock brakes.
The truck can carry a 7.1-ton load off-road and 15 tons on hard surface roads while towing a trailer or artillery piece weighing up to 11 tons.
The vehicle program began full-rate production in September 2001, and 1,486 trucks had been fielded by March 2003, many of which have been delivered to Camp Lejeune.
Contact Eric Steinkopff at estein kopff@jdnews.com or 353-1171, Ext. 236.
ERIC STEINKOPFF
DAILY NEWS STAFF
One of the Marine Corps' new 7-ton Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement trucks is missing from a 2nd Marine Division unit on Camp Lejeune, officials said Thursday.
The vehicle was in the motor pool belonging to Echo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, on Monday morning when the unit went to train in the field. When troops returned on Wednesday, the truck was gone, said Camp Lejeune spokeswoman Capt. Teresa Ovalle.
"After an extensive search on the base," unit leaders reported the missing vehicle to the Criminal Investigative Division of the base Provost Marshal's Office, Ovalle said.
The vehicle has been entered into the National Crime Information Center system, a national data base law enforcement officers use to report and track stolen vehicles and property and missing or wanted people.
"There are no suspects, and there is an ongoing investigation," Ovalle said.
The military has been testing the new 7-ton truck for the past several years. The vehicle is intended to replace the Marine Corps' aging 5-ton truck fleet and would be used as a primary means of transporting ammunition, fuel, water and supplies, troops or engineering equipment.
The vehicle features a 425-horsepower, electronically controlled engine, a seven-speed continuous power automatic transmission; six-wheel independent suspension and antilock brakes.
The truck can carry a 7.1-ton load off-road and 15 tons on hard surface roads while towing a trailer or artillery piece weighing up to 11 tons.
The vehicle program began full-rate production in September 2001, and 1,486 trucks had been fielded by March 2003, many of which have been delivered to Camp Lejeune.
Contact Eric Steinkopff at estein kopff@jdnews.com or 353-1171, Ext. 236.