thedrifter
04-14-09, 05:54 AM
Posted on Tue, Apr. 14, 2009
Marines train at Castle for evacuations
By Jonah Owen Lamb
Merced Sun-Star
last updated: April 14, 2009 12:22:57 AM
ATWATER -- The thumping rotors behind the silhouette of four distant helicopters set against a cloudy morning sky disturbed the otherwise silent airfield at the former Castle Air Force Base.
Three CH-46 Sea Knight cargo helicopters and a CH-53 Sea Stallion hovered low through the cold morning air.
When the squadron touched down in a staggered line on the bleached runway, their rear doors opened and dislodged 60 Marines in full body armor.
As the helicopters powered down, a troop of battle-ready sailors trundled across the concrete airfield with their black assault rifles slung on their backs or cradled in their arms.
The helmeted troops were an impressive-looking lot. Their gear bulged from them like overstuffed life vests. Radios and ammunition clips and cell phones filled pockets and pouches on their flak jackets.
These 60 Marines, from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit had flown from Fort Hunter Liggett, a coastal base to the west, as part of an embassy evacuation drill. Last week's exercise was the culmination of two weeks of training in and around Central California.
The exercise included State Department personnel and about 50 role-playing evacuees. The State Department personnel acted out their parts by communicating with the Marine rescue team and helping process the U.S. citizens being evacuated. The role players -- the U.S. citizens -- would act the part of a rowdy and frightened group of people.
For the past 25 years, the State Department and the Marines have been conducting such drills. Since the end of the Cold War, increasing numbers of nations where U.S. embassies are located have crumbled, leaving U.S. citizens and embassies stuck in the middle of dangerous situations.
The Navy's seven expeditionary units, trained for such missions, are spread across the nation and world -- three always afloat. In recent years these units have done everything from help flood victims in Bangladesh to help evacuate the U.S. embassy in Beirut.
Jim Hensien, commanding logistics officer for the 11th MEU, explained that this kind of operation was as common for Marines as is combat.
"Several of the missions that Marines train toward are geared toward helping U.S. citizens or helping foreign citizens that are in some distress, whether it's civil unrest or natural disaster. We try to do a lot to ease the suffering of others," Hensien said.
Extras play their roles
Behind him, under the shade of a tall, tan airplane hangar marked with a big "3" -- the mock embassy -- Marines in civilian dress milled about along with embassy staff and a small group of onlookers from the airport.
Behind the hangar about 50 Africans from Somalia and the Congo -- some speaking French -- waited beside the white vans that had brought them north from San Diego.
For $20 an hour, each of the extras had been brought here to role-play evacuees from an American embassy. They were to be the evacuees of the pretend embassy in a make-believe country called "Green."
The scenario for the day's exercise: Green was experiencing civil unrest verging on chaos. The American ambassador decided it wasn't prudent to stay and called in the Marines. A group of Navy ships in a nearby ocean would oversee the evacuation. From the ships a 60-man team of Marines would fly overland, secure the embassy and evacuate diplomatic personnel and American citizens.
Hensien said the exercise was much like some of their recent missions. The force, based out of Camp Pendleton, most recently went on a tour with the Pacific Command. While there they participated in a series of maneuvers in Africa and the Middle East.
Among them was a joint training operation with the Maldive armed forces. They also brought medical teams to Djibouti, where the U.S. has a base, to give locals dental and medical care.
Video
http://www.modbee.com/local/v-print/story/665472.html
Ellie
Marines train at Castle for evacuations
By Jonah Owen Lamb
Merced Sun-Star
last updated: April 14, 2009 12:22:57 AM
ATWATER -- The thumping rotors behind the silhouette of four distant helicopters set against a cloudy morning sky disturbed the otherwise silent airfield at the former Castle Air Force Base.
Three CH-46 Sea Knight cargo helicopters and a CH-53 Sea Stallion hovered low through the cold morning air.
When the squadron touched down in a staggered line on the bleached runway, their rear doors opened and dislodged 60 Marines in full body armor.
As the helicopters powered down, a troop of battle-ready sailors trundled across the concrete airfield with their black assault rifles slung on their backs or cradled in their arms.
The helmeted troops were an impressive-looking lot. Their gear bulged from them like overstuffed life vests. Radios and ammunition clips and cell phones filled pockets and pouches on their flak jackets.
These 60 Marines, from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit had flown from Fort Hunter Liggett, a coastal base to the west, as part of an embassy evacuation drill. Last week's exercise was the culmination of two weeks of training in and around Central California.
The exercise included State Department personnel and about 50 role-playing evacuees. The State Department personnel acted out their parts by communicating with the Marine rescue team and helping process the U.S. citizens being evacuated. The role players -- the U.S. citizens -- would act the part of a rowdy and frightened group of people.
For the past 25 years, the State Department and the Marines have been conducting such drills. Since the end of the Cold War, increasing numbers of nations where U.S. embassies are located have crumbled, leaving U.S. citizens and embassies stuck in the middle of dangerous situations.
The Navy's seven expeditionary units, trained for such missions, are spread across the nation and world -- three always afloat. In recent years these units have done everything from help flood victims in Bangladesh to help evacuate the U.S. embassy in Beirut.
Jim Hensien, commanding logistics officer for the 11th MEU, explained that this kind of operation was as common for Marines as is combat.
"Several of the missions that Marines train toward are geared toward helping U.S. citizens or helping foreign citizens that are in some distress, whether it's civil unrest or natural disaster. We try to do a lot to ease the suffering of others," Hensien said.
Extras play their roles
Behind him, under the shade of a tall, tan airplane hangar marked with a big "3" -- the mock embassy -- Marines in civilian dress milled about along with embassy staff and a small group of onlookers from the airport.
Behind the hangar about 50 Africans from Somalia and the Congo -- some speaking French -- waited beside the white vans that had brought them north from San Diego.
For $20 an hour, each of the extras had been brought here to role-play evacuees from an American embassy. They were to be the evacuees of the pretend embassy in a make-believe country called "Green."
The scenario for the day's exercise: Green was experiencing civil unrest verging on chaos. The American ambassador decided it wasn't prudent to stay and called in the Marines. A group of Navy ships in a nearby ocean would oversee the evacuation. From the ships a 60-man team of Marines would fly overland, secure the embassy and evacuate diplomatic personnel and American citizens.
Hensien said the exercise was much like some of their recent missions. The force, based out of Camp Pendleton, most recently went on a tour with the Pacific Command. While there they participated in a series of maneuvers in Africa and the Middle East.
Among them was a joint training operation with the Maldive armed forces. They also brought medical teams to Djibouti, where the U.S. has a base, to give locals dental and medical care.
Video
http://www.modbee.com/local/v-print/story/665472.html
Ellie