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View Full Version : Marines inspect M16A4s bound for Iraq



thedrifter
03-26-04, 03:19 AM
Submitted by: MCLB Barstow
Story Identification Number: 2004325175150
Story by Pfc. Ashley Warden



MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif.(March 25, 2004) -- Reservists and active duty service members from the Marine Forces Reserve headquarters, located in New Orleans, La., and 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, headquartered in Chicago, Ill., converged on MCLB Barstow recently to inspect 850 M16A4 rifles, supplied by Fleet Support Division, they will be accepting in preparation of their departure to Operation Iraqi Freedom II.

The new service rifle, the M16A4, a replacement for the M16A2, will take a couple of years to be completely fielded because the manufacturer, Herstal out of Columbia, S.C., has to make so many, said Master Sgt. Steve Lepacik, Marine Forces Reserve ground ordnance weapons chief.

"(The M16A4) provides a platform for night vision, thermal and optical equipment that gives the operator enhanced capabilities," he said. This is significant because the inspectors as well as the weapons are getting ready to go to war, said 1st Lt. Jason Kut, ground supply officer and head of the Fleet Support Division Principle End Item Branch here. There is a monthly allocation of 850 weapons from the manufacturer to each of the Marine Corps logistics bases. The weapons are then issued to a unit according to a fielding plan through one of the Marine Corps logistics bases.

The currently deployed I Marine Expeditionary Force had a requirement for more M16A4s than the allocation could support, said Lepacik. An agreement was made between I MEF and 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines that the I MEF could have one of the 24th Marines' shares of M16A4s in exchange for the allowance of M16A4s the I MEF received this March through MCLB Barstow. The agreement ensured that units departing earlier got as many M16A4s as possible when they departed for OIF II.

The I MEF allocation of weapons was stored in a warehouse here, which brought the inspectors to receive the weapons.

"We are helping the Marines meet their mission," said Kut. "We are doing this outside the box."

Normally the equipment is sent to the unit for inspection instead of the logistics bases but because of time constraints and the different units involved the inspections had to be done here, said Kut. A 13-member team consisting of both reservists and active duty Marines was set up to inspect the weapons before the weapons were shipped to 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines.

The weapons come to MCLB Barstow in crates containing 50 weapons each fresh from the manufacturer. Inspectors must unpack each weapon, break it down and look for any missing parts and proper assemblage before sending weapons off to their unit deploying to Iraq.

The weapons are already inspected by the manufactures, said Lepacik. The Marine Corps requires that the weapons be inspected again before any unit accepts them to ensure that they are working properly.

"There is ownership in the process, so inspectors take the time when inspecting the weapons," said Lepacik. The inspection process includes checking the trigger pull, the gauging, inspecting the completeness of the weapon, whether there are missing parts, and finally there is a function check before verifying the serial number and re-packing.

During this process the weapons are completely broken down. This process was accomplished through an assembly line where each Marine has a certain thing he is looking for, said Lepacik. If a minor defect in a weapon is found, the Marines try to fix the disparity themselves, but if this task cannot be accomplished the weapon is rejected. A Product Quality Deficiency Report is filed and the rifle is sent back to the manufacturer, which then replaces the weapon.

These weapons are scheduled to help protect Marines deploying to OIF II. The inspection process ensures that these weapons will function properly if there comes a time they need to be used.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/CEF61968E0762F7B85256E62007D9894?opendocument


Ellie