thedrifter
09-16-08, 11:59 AM
Communications Marines respond to Tropical Storm Hanna
9/15/2008 By Pfc. Melissa A. Latty , 2nd Marine Logistics Group
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Sept. 15, 2008) — —
“Communications Company, this is base, over.”
“Roger base, this is Comm., send your traffic.”
“Be advised, Tropical Storm Hanna is expected to hit around 1600. How copy? Over.”
“Roger base, read you loud and clear, over.”
“Roger Comm., out."
When word was passed that Tropical Storm Hanna would hit the Camp Lejeune area Sept. 5, the communications Marines of Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, were ready to provide communication for the North Carolina base.
The Marines trained constantly throughout the past year for a situation like this one. Because of the training operations and drills they carried out in the past, they had the capabilities to respond within a moments notice to eliminate potential problems caused by loss of communication.
One training operation in particular, the OE254 Drill, is conducted to teach the Marines how to quickly and efficiently set up an OE254 antenna using teamwork and communication. This antenna, among others, plays a large role in the Marines’ abilities to communicate during radio operations.
“All we can do is teach the Marines all they need to know so when the time comes they will know how to apply the skills learned,” said Cpl. Jaime Shanks, a radio operator with CLR-27.
Because of their prior training, the Marines had no problem when they were tasked with setting up sites in several places around the base including the company’s barracks, the 2nd MLG armory and the 2nd MLG headquarters building.
At each of the sites there were two assigned Marines whose purpose was to conduct destructive weather watch. These Marines were the ones who would’ve notified higher of any emergencies during the storm if all other means of communication were unavailable.
“It was essential that we were there,” said Sgt. Robert Speanburg, a radio operator with CLR-27. “We would have been the last line of communication for the entire base had all other telecommunication went down.”
The Marines assigned to these sites were there for three days. Similar to combat situations, they got little sleep, were not able to shower and could not leave the premises unless wearing a flack jacket and Kevlar helmet.
Lance Cpl. Candace M. Aspeotes, a radio operator with CLR-27, was called back from her lunch break Sept. 4, one day before the storm would hit, and was told she would be on destructive weather watch for the next three days.
“I was picked to do it so I felt like I was trusted by my higher ups to do a good job,” Aspeotes said.
In this situation, the job of the communications Marines was imperative to base safety. Although the storm passed with little or no damage done, the Marines conducting the watch were able to experience first hand the process and procedures for this kind of scenario, and will be able to respond to any future destructive weather occurrences.
Ellie
9/15/2008 By Pfc. Melissa A. Latty , 2nd Marine Logistics Group
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Sept. 15, 2008) — —
“Communications Company, this is base, over.”
“Roger base, this is Comm., send your traffic.”
“Be advised, Tropical Storm Hanna is expected to hit around 1600. How copy? Over.”
“Roger base, read you loud and clear, over.”
“Roger Comm., out."
When word was passed that Tropical Storm Hanna would hit the Camp Lejeune area Sept. 5, the communications Marines of Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, were ready to provide communication for the North Carolina base.
The Marines trained constantly throughout the past year for a situation like this one. Because of the training operations and drills they carried out in the past, they had the capabilities to respond within a moments notice to eliminate potential problems caused by loss of communication.
One training operation in particular, the OE254 Drill, is conducted to teach the Marines how to quickly and efficiently set up an OE254 antenna using teamwork and communication. This antenna, among others, plays a large role in the Marines’ abilities to communicate during radio operations.
“All we can do is teach the Marines all they need to know so when the time comes they will know how to apply the skills learned,” said Cpl. Jaime Shanks, a radio operator with CLR-27.
Because of their prior training, the Marines had no problem when they were tasked with setting up sites in several places around the base including the company’s barracks, the 2nd MLG armory and the 2nd MLG headquarters building.
At each of the sites there were two assigned Marines whose purpose was to conduct destructive weather watch. These Marines were the ones who would’ve notified higher of any emergencies during the storm if all other means of communication were unavailable.
“It was essential that we were there,” said Sgt. Robert Speanburg, a radio operator with CLR-27. “We would have been the last line of communication for the entire base had all other telecommunication went down.”
The Marines assigned to these sites were there for three days. Similar to combat situations, they got little sleep, were not able to shower and could not leave the premises unless wearing a flack jacket and Kevlar helmet.
Lance Cpl. Candace M. Aspeotes, a radio operator with CLR-27, was called back from her lunch break Sept. 4, one day before the storm would hit, and was told she would be on destructive weather watch for the next three days.
“I was picked to do it so I felt like I was trusted by my higher ups to do a good job,” Aspeotes said.
In this situation, the job of the communications Marines was imperative to base safety. Although the storm passed with little or no damage done, the Marines conducting the watch were able to experience first hand the process and procedures for this kind of scenario, and will be able to respond to any future destructive weather occurrences.
Ellie