VMM-162 returns home from Spain

Photo By Staff Sgt. Andy Orozco | Capt. Nathan Frame, an MV-22B Osprey pilot with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162, poses with his family at the squadron’s hangar aboard Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., after returning from an 11 month deployment with the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response July 28. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Andy J. Orozco)  

CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, UNITED STATES

08.01.2014

Story by Cpl. Andy Orozco 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Sade Frame stood beside her sister Ivy and held her homemade sign high above her head. She hadn’t seen her dad in nearly a year, so she wanted to ensure he didn’t miss them when he got off the bus.

The sign was detailed — a colorful creation of reds, blues, and whites. Her father, Nathan Frame, is a helicopter pilot so the words ‘Welcome Home Mr. Epic Pilot’ were adorned by a hand drawn flag and soldier.

Frame was one of 200 Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 who returned to Marine Corps Air Station New River July 28 after an 11-month deployment to Moron, Spain, with the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response (SPMAGTF-CR).

Crisis Response
Since 2012, the Marine Corps has based crisis response units in Spain and Romania to support U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa to complete non-combatant evacuations, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and emergency support to U.S. embassies within the region.

During the squadron’s deployment, the unit served as the air combat element for SPMAGTF-CR providing crisis response support throughout Africa.

According to Capt. Mark Evans, a future operations planner, the squadron provided logistical support for troops, supplies and equipment for both training exercises and real-world missions using the MV-22B Ospreys.

While deployed, VMM-162 completed nearly 1600 flight hours and contributed to various missions to include the successful evacuation of the Libyan embassy.

“The squadron over the past year has developed the standard of how aviation operations will be conducted in support of Special Purpose MAGTF Crisis Response,” said Evans. “The product, the procedure and the planning that we developed over our deployment directly contributed to our execution and support [in Libya],” said Evans.

Many of the Marines within the unit said the deployment was a great experience and proved their capabilities as a squadron, however, most were happy to be returning home.

“The deployment went really well,” said Frame. ”It was a long deployment for some of the Marines who have been deployed since August. I missed my kids and it’s good to be back with them."

• Date Taken: 08.01.2014
• Date Posted: 08.13.2014 06:44
• Story ID: 139181
• Location: CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US