thedrifter
02-06-08, 02:37 PM
31st MEU, Essex Expeditionary Strike Group execute a mock helo raid at Camp Schwab
By Cindy Fisher, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, February 7, 2008
CAMP SCHWAB, Okinawa — The clearing filled with the rhythmic thump of chopper blades as two CH-46 Sea Knights braved the gray skies Tuesday to transport 24 Marines to a landing zone on Camp Schwab for a “raid.”
Once the helicopters hit the ground, the Marines with Battalion Landing Team 2/4, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit jumped from the rear of the aircraft to establish a security perimeter. As the helicopters circled the clearing and headed back to the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group, which is based out of Sasebo Naval Base, Japan, and currently afloat off Okinawa’s shores, the Marines began their patrol.
The objective point: Three empty buildings about 1½ miles away, where other BLT 2/4 Marines, acting as aggressors, had established a simulated insurgent stronghold.
The mission: To clear and secure the buildings and search for classified documents suspected to be hidden there.
Though only two dozen Marines landed in the clearing, the planning and execution of the training involved the entire 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group, said the MEU’s operations officer, Lt. Col. Rodney Legowski, during a phone conversation from the ship.
“We’ve only been together as a team for a short while,” Legowski said of the Navy and Marines working together. “Over the past week, we’ve been working on blue-green integration.”
Not only is it a new team, there has been a large turnover within the MEU — about 50 percent of the units have recently changed, Legowski said.
“For a lot of my guys, it was the first time going off a boat, so it was good training for them,” admitted Cpl. Kyle Smith, 22, from Everett, Wash., a squad leader with BLT 2/4.
The helo raid also allowed MEU Marines to work out any kinks in their training before they head to Balikatan 2008, said 2nd Lt. Arthur Zuehlke of BLT 2/4.
Balikatan 2008, an annual U.S.-Philippines bilateral military humanitarian assistance and training exercise is scheduled to be held in the Philippines from Feb. 18 through March 3.
The 31st MEU and the Essex strike group will conduct more training before heading to the Philippines next week.
Ellie
By Cindy Fisher, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, February 7, 2008
CAMP SCHWAB, Okinawa — The clearing filled with the rhythmic thump of chopper blades as two CH-46 Sea Knights braved the gray skies Tuesday to transport 24 Marines to a landing zone on Camp Schwab for a “raid.”
Once the helicopters hit the ground, the Marines with Battalion Landing Team 2/4, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit jumped from the rear of the aircraft to establish a security perimeter. As the helicopters circled the clearing and headed back to the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group, which is based out of Sasebo Naval Base, Japan, and currently afloat off Okinawa’s shores, the Marines began their patrol.
The objective point: Three empty buildings about 1½ miles away, where other BLT 2/4 Marines, acting as aggressors, had established a simulated insurgent stronghold.
The mission: To clear and secure the buildings and search for classified documents suspected to be hidden there.
Though only two dozen Marines landed in the clearing, the planning and execution of the training involved the entire 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group, said the MEU’s operations officer, Lt. Col. Rodney Legowski, during a phone conversation from the ship.
“We’ve only been together as a team for a short while,” Legowski said of the Navy and Marines working together. “Over the past week, we’ve been working on blue-green integration.”
Not only is it a new team, there has been a large turnover within the MEU — about 50 percent of the units have recently changed, Legowski said.
“For a lot of my guys, it was the first time going off a boat, so it was good training for them,” admitted Cpl. Kyle Smith, 22, from Everett, Wash., a squad leader with BLT 2/4.
The helo raid also allowed MEU Marines to work out any kinks in their training before they head to Balikatan 2008, said 2nd Lt. Arthur Zuehlke of BLT 2/4.
Balikatan 2008, an annual U.S.-Philippines bilateral military humanitarian assistance and training exercise is scheduled to be held in the Philippines from Feb. 18 through March 3.
The 31st MEU and the Essex strike group will conduct more training before heading to the Philippines next week.
Ellie