thedrifter
04-17-09, 09:51 AM
CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa (April 17, 2009) -- Take three infantrymen, one radio operator, stir in tactical remote sensor surveillance skills and a Ground Sensor Platoon team is made.
"The stealthy grunts and the top shelf radio operators, the ones who show more leadership skills than most are the ones who make GSP what it is," said Cpl. Kyle R. Heppler, the assistant team leader and tactical remote sensor surveillance operator for Team 1 of 3rd GSP, 3rd Intelligence Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force.
Ground Sensor Platoon is a small specialized unit which seeks out and monitors insurgency and high value targets for offensive operations and to prevent larger scale infantry units from ambush, improvised explosive device or other types of attacks.
Along with the infantry side of ground sensor operations, each team has a radio operator who is required to know not only radio operation but also the same sensor surveillance skills as his infantry team members.
However, not all radio operators put in the extra effort to match their infantry counterparts, said Lance Cpl. Nicholas E. Elliott, a radio and TRSS operator with 3rd GSP.
From the day he was assigned to 3rd GSP, Elliot was determined to prove himself as an equal member of the team and because of his hard work has developed a special bond with the infantrymen he works with.
"With some of the radio guys that come in to GSP the grunts don't expect anything but radio, and that's not good enough for me," Elliot said. "I want to be more then just a radio operator."
Elliott joined 3rd GSP in April of 2008, along with about 10 other radio operators, but he was determined to stand out, by fitting in.
"I decided right when I got here that I didn't want to be known as an 06 (a radio operator) but as an 03 (an infantryman) and I studied," said Elliott.
Though Elliot was proud of his job as a radio operator, deep down, he wanted to be infantry, he said.
Radio operators that attach with the platoon are not required to go through any specialized training in order to prepare for working alongside the infantrymen.
"We just jump right in," Elliott said. "We were expected to know all infantry and radio right when we got there."
As a radio operator, Elliott is responsible for radio maintenance and readiness. However, as a member of GSP he is required to know sensor operations and infantry knowledge.
"I have to make sure we have communication with the Forward Operating Base in case anything happens to us and so the Forward Operating Base can keep both parties aware of what is going on," Elliott said. "Being in GSP, I still have the radios but I also have the sensor aspect. I have to make sure the sensors work and are ready to go, but (sensor responsibility) is split between the team."
Elliott always knew that he wanted to work with grunts and took every opportunity he could to train and study. He ran extra physical training and studied any infantry knowledge he could get his hands on, and all his hard work certainly paid off according to his team members.
"He demonstrates his ability to execute his duties as a radio operator while seamlessly integrating his infantry skills," said Sgt. Stuart K. Rogers, team leader of Team 1. "Having a radio operator such as him on the team makes the mission that much more possible. I have absolute confidence and faith in him and see him as a very valuable asset to Team 1."
"We're a pretty tight group," said Heppler. "I think it's a big deal to at least like the people you're going to a combat environment with."
Although Elliott has never been to combat, his hard work and dedication to the team has left no doubt of his capabilities in the minds of his team members.
"His extraordinary commitment to the team shows he can and will be combat effective and trustworthy on missions," Rogers said. "He has a willingness to attack any problem without question and the ability and drive to help the team in any way within his power."
Despite the constant encouragement from his team, Elliott still finds it hard to feel like one of the "grunts".
"No matter how hard I try I will never be an 03 (infantryman) until I 'lat move'," Elliott said. He does plan on re-enlisting as an infantryman or in reconnaissance and officially becoming one of the infantry.
"I notice the way he cringes when you call him a radio operator and as far as I'm concerned he isn't one," Heppler said. "We all have our baseline MOS's (military occupational specialties) when you break us all down to bare bones. But in all actuality we're TRSS operators, which is something totally beyond being a grunt or a radio guy. So when you ask me what I notice about him, it's hard to answer, because we are so similar."
"The stealthy grunts and the top shelf radio operators, the ones who show more leadership skills than most are the ones who make GSP what it is," said Cpl. Kyle R. Heppler, the assistant team leader and tactical remote sensor surveillance operator for Team 1 of 3rd GSP, 3rd Intelligence Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force.
Ground Sensor Platoon is a small specialized unit which seeks out and monitors insurgency and high value targets for offensive operations and to prevent larger scale infantry units from ambush, improvised explosive device or other types of attacks.
Along with the infantry side of ground sensor operations, each team has a radio operator who is required to know not only radio operation but also the same sensor surveillance skills as his infantry team members.
However, not all radio operators put in the extra effort to match their infantry counterparts, said Lance Cpl. Nicholas E. Elliott, a radio and TRSS operator with 3rd GSP.
From the day he was assigned to 3rd GSP, Elliot was determined to prove himself as an equal member of the team and because of his hard work has developed a special bond with the infantrymen he works with.
"With some of the radio guys that come in to GSP the grunts don't expect anything but radio, and that's not good enough for me," Elliot said. "I want to be more then just a radio operator."
Elliott joined 3rd GSP in April of 2008, along with about 10 other radio operators, but he was determined to stand out, by fitting in.
"I decided right when I got here that I didn't want to be known as an 06 (a radio operator) but as an 03 (an infantryman) and I studied," said Elliott.
Though Elliot was proud of his job as a radio operator, deep down, he wanted to be infantry, he said.
Radio operators that attach with the platoon are not required to go through any specialized training in order to prepare for working alongside the infantrymen.
"We just jump right in," Elliott said. "We were expected to know all infantry and radio right when we got there."
As a radio operator, Elliott is responsible for radio maintenance and readiness. However, as a member of GSP he is required to know sensor operations and infantry knowledge.
"I have to make sure we have communication with the Forward Operating Base in case anything happens to us and so the Forward Operating Base can keep both parties aware of what is going on," Elliott said. "Being in GSP, I still have the radios but I also have the sensor aspect. I have to make sure the sensors work and are ready to go, but (sensor responsibility) is split between the team."
Elliott always knew that he wanted to work with grunts and took every opportunity he could to train and study. He ran extra physical training and studied any infantry knowledge he could get his hands on, and all his hard work certainly paid off according to his team members.
"He demonstrates his ability to execute his duties as a radio operator while seamlessly integrating his infantry skills," said Sgt. Stuart K. Rogers, team leader of Team 1. "Having a radio operator such as him on the team makes the mission that much more possible. I have absolute confidence and faith in him and see him as a very valuable asset to Team 1."
"We're a pretty tight group," said Heppler. "I think it's a big deal to at least like the people you're going to a combat environment with."
Although Elliott has never been to combat, his hard work and dedication to the team has left no doubt of his capabilities in the minds of his team members.
"His extraordinary commitment to the team shows he can and will be combat effective and trustworthy on missions," Rogers said. "He has a willingness to attack any problem without question and the ability and drive to help the team in any way within his power."
Despite the constant encouragement from his team, Elliott still finds it hard to feel like one of the "grunts".
"No matter how hard I try I will never be an 03 (infantryman) until I 'lat move'," Elliott said. He does plan on re-enlisting as an infantryman or in reconnaissance and officially becoming one of the infantry.
"I notice the way he cringes when you call him a radio operator and as far as I'm concerned he isn't one," Heppler said. "We all have our baseline MOS's (military occupational specialties) when you break us all down to bare bones. But in all actuality we're TRSS operators, which is something totally beyond being a grunt or a radio guy. So when you ask me what I notice about him, it's hard to answer, because we are so similar."