Curtain Call – Where the Air Combat Element meets the Ground

Photo By Sgt. Uriel Avendano | Yuma-based Marine Aircraft Group 13, Twentynine Palms-based Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 and 3rd Battalion 4th Marines coordinated to perform a helo born assault maneuver near the Cleghorn Pass range at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif., Jan. 28. HMM-268 took a flight of six CH-46 helicopters and inserted roughly 100 ground combat Marines to execute a blocking position to prevent the enemy from outmaneuvering the main effort.  

TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, UNITED STATES

02.01.2013

Story by Lance Cpl. Uriel Avendano 

Marine Corps Air Station Yuma

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - A three-day Final Exercise consisting of deliberate ground offensive, defensive and counter attack operations coordinated by Yuma-based Marine Aircraft Group 13, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268, 2nd Battalion 4th Marines and 3rd Battalion 4th Marines got under way near the Cleghorn Pass range at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif., Jan. 28.

The FINX, as part of the newly implemented pre-deployment Integrated Training Exercise, provided a venue to assess the ACE components' ability to conduct operations with the ground combat element in live action scenarios. The two ground combat elements were 3/4, based out of Marine Combat Center Twentynine Palms, and 2/4, based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.

“Over multiple days, there are two ground battalions operating in the East and the West,” said Maj. David Slay, MAG-13's future plans ITX coordinator and a native of Escondido, Calif. “As the ACE, we provide assets in to support both of them throughout the day.”

The close air support operations showcased the capabilities of different air inserts. For the CH-46's support, manned by HMM-268, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif., the FINX called for a helo born assault.

In support of the ground combat element, HMM-268 took a flight of six CH-46 helicopters and inserted roughly 100 ground combat Marines to execute a blocking position to prevent the enemy from outmaneuvering the main effort.

“Inserting a blocking position of Marines into a canyon area to prevent the enemy from being reinforced,” said Maj. Jeff Barber, an HMM-268 CH-46 pilot and a native of Bakersfield, Calif. “With a helo born assault, we don't have any planned withdrawal.”

A whole series of different scenarios that are related to the day's scheme maneuvers, in conjunction to the ground elements' needs, get supported by the ACE.

“They send requests for FINX during certain times, and we fill those required requests for CAS (Close Air Support) using Harriers, Cobra's or Huey's (UH-1Y),” said Slay. “We either grant or deny those requests depending on how many assets are available, per day.”

As fixed wing and rotary assets fly in, the ground units coordinate attacks with the ACE to prosecute the enemy with heavy live ordnance. Depending on what the simulation calls for, much of the ordnance called for high explosives.

However, if a mission demands finer precision, smaller ordnance was at the ready. Because certain parts of the range mimic towns or villages, where small urban structures are set up, smaller explosives are used. Maneuvers are then evaluated and re-set.

“We identify what the problem is and figure out how we're going to attack that problem together,” said Barber. “With integrated training, it teaches us to come together and meet the expectations we have from one another.”

From setting up a Forward Arming and Refueling Point, executing casualty evacuation scenarios, to providing logistics and intelligence, task recovery of aircraft and personnel training, the FINX served as a great evolution to exercise every part of the the air squadrons' muscles.

“The MAG-13 Headquarters element did a phenomenal job in handling all of the ATO (Air Tasking Order) cycle as well as integrating all of the outside agencies into the exercise,” said Capt. Sean Breit-Roup, an HMM-268 CH-46 pilot and a native of Richmond, Va. “The MAG did a superior job, especially their operations department with making sure all of the squadrons could process these requests and manage the traffic for training.”

Considering this was the first ITX to be introduced into the Corps' schedule, replacing now-defunct Enhanced Mojave Viper, the results of the exercise cannot be underestimated.

“The importance of these exercises is to train the ground guys to get them ready so they can get realistic expectations of what they'll encounter. It's important to integrate both the aviation and the ground side,” said Breit-Roup. “We can talk about what you expect out of what one side is going to do and what the other side is going to do, but you only build that trust and sacred bond until you go out there and actually do it together.”

The ITX is slated to wrap up Feb. 8.

• Date Taken: 02.01.2013
• Date Posted: 02.02.2013 01:22
• Story ID: 101395
• Location: TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, US