CLR-1, Logistical Support for Steel Knight 15

Photo By Sgt. April Price | Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment 1 guard and regulate the main entrance to their center of command during Steel Knight 15, Dec. 13, 2014, aboard Camp Acorn on Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. Steel Knight is an annual exercise to train and prepare the 1st Marine Division for deployment as the ground combat element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force.  

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, UNITED STATES

12.13.2014

Story by Lance Cpl. April Price 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - Providing and sustaining a strong support system is a key and essential element in mission readiness. There are many pieces in the puzzle, but all the pieces have a purpose to support 1st Marine Division and aid in the overall mission of I Marine Expeditionary Force.

Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment-1, a supporting unit participating in Steel Knight 15 from 1st Marine Logistics Group, diligently provide logistical support for 1st Marine Division aboard Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 8-17, 2014.

Steel Knight is an annual exercise to train and prepare the 1st Marine Division for deployment as the Ground Combat Element of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Combined arms live-fire exercises, such as Steel Knight, ensure that the nation has a division that is fully prepared for employment as a maneuver force across the range of military operations.

“Our mission is to provide logistics support to the 1st Marine Division in any environment and during any conflict in order to allow the division to continue to operate without any logistically driven pauses,” said Staff Sgt. Jose Uribe, the company gunnery sergeant of CLR-1.

CLR-1’s role is to not only provide supplies such as fuel, ammunition and rations, but also provide transportation and keep accountability for supplies, equipment and Marines who participate and provide security during operations.

“Keeping accountability is crucial to our mission. If one number is off, the whole objective could be in jeopardy,” said Uribe. “It could be as simple the division calling for twelve 7-ton trucks and we only accounted for eleven. That could be a whole platoon of Marines without transportation.”

CLR-1 administration repeatedly crunch numbers to keep up with the constantly changing flow of personnel throughout the entire exercise.

“Without logistics, we would have nothing. We would be oblivious to how much of something we have or how much we need,” said Lance Cpl. Joscelinne D. Portillo, an administration clerk with CLR-1. “Yes, it’s better to have more than what’s needed, but what if that surplus amount of supplies ended up causing difficulties with the mission’s progression?”

If a unit has too much, it can overburden them and slow down their rate of advance, explained Portillo. Their surplus could be another unit’s deficiency, thus increasing the issue.

In addition to accountability, the transportation aspect is just important. Ensuring the flow of supply and equipment between units helps sustain the operation beyond a units own capabilities.

These different support units continuously train amongst themselves, working hard to remain resilient and vigilant for future fights. It isn’t often, though, they get the opportunity to train with one another in an all-encompassing exercise. Once a year, however, this opportunity presents itself, allowing units to train how they would fight, together and in unison.

• Date Taken: 12.13.2014
• Date Posted: 12.19.2014 19:27
• Story ID: 150834
• Location: MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, US