MARFORSOUTH security cooperation team completes advisor training at MCSCG

Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Vitaliy Rusavskiy | Brig. Gen. David W. Coffman, commander, United States Marine Corps Forces, South, gives his remarks to security cooperation training team graduates at the Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group aboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek - Ft. Story, Virginia Beach, Va., Dec. 13. Twenty Marines and sailors have spent more than a month training at MCSCG before their deployment to MARFORSOUTH's area of operation.  

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, UNITED STATES

12.13.2013

Story by Gunnery Sgt. Alexis Mulero 

Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, Marine Forces Command, Marine Forces Northern Command

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South, security cooperation team graduates from a five-week pre-deployment training program at Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Va. Friday at 8 a.m.

Since November, MCSCG Marines and sailors supported the 20-man team in refining their language, and cultural skills prior to the team deploying in support of security cooperation activities in the Central America region.

"When interacting with a host nation counterpart, the principles of advising are applicable in any environment and culture," said Lt. Col. Andrew Martinez, officer-in-charge of the Training Instructor Group at MCSCG. "An understanding of a nation's culture and the application of sound cross-cultural communication techniques facilitates critical rapport building and engagement strategies."

Additionally, the team was immersed in training that provided them adviser skills, training management, force protection techniques, language proficiency and culture.

"The pre-deployment training at MCSCG initially taught us the basics of advising and then added a lot of 'real world' and region specific skills that could help us in a variety of situations; for example language and culture classes from Center for Advanced Operational Culture Learning, individual force protection measures, negotiation/mediation training, and instructional methods," said Maj. Andrew Dirkes, officer-in-charge of the team.

"This knowledge will significantly enhance their ability to engage foreign security forces in order to conduct planning, training, and achieve national level objectives," said Martinez.

The culminating event of the team's training package was a four-day regionally focused certification exercise in which the team put into practice all the skills reviewed throughout their time at MCSCG.

"This 'crawl' (basic advisor skills from TIG) and then 'walk' (regional training from CAOCL) allowed the team to then transition to the "run" stage with the certification exercise run by the Coordination, Liaison and Assessment Training Team," Dirkes added. "This gave us an opportunity to identify our strengths and weaknesses, and be challenged to combine all that we had learned in the course. The CERTEX also showed that we are ready for success downrange and can accomplish the mission assigned to us."

The team performed very well during the CERTEX and overcame the challenges presented to them," said, Capt. Armando Daviu, a foreign affairs officer with the CLATT at MCSCG. "Our role players created some unique operational cultural dilemmas which required quick thinking, interpersonal skills, and the ability to adapt to a new environment.

Additionally, the team had to work hard to create quality training events on short notice; which is good preparation for the kinds of missions they will receive during their deployment to Central America."

The U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South, security cooperation team is one of many teams that receive predeployment training here at MCSCG throughout the year.

Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group is a unit within the U.S. Marine Corps that executes and enables security cooperation (SC) programs, training, planning, and activities in order to ensure a unity of effort in support of institutional and regional Marine Component Command (MARFOR) objectives, and in coordination with operating forces and Marine Air-Ground Task Forces.

• Date Taken: 12.13.2013
• Date Posted: 12.13.2013 14:20
• Story ID: 118199
• Location: VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, US