CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — The ordnance technicians for Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 "Scarface," Marine Aircraft Group 40, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, sat and waited for the troops-in-contact call, and when it came, without hesitation, they sprinted through the gravel toward the helicopter landing zones to arm aircraft and get them back into action for combat operations in Marjah.

"The tempo will definitely be higher," said Sgt. Terence Boyle, a Scarface ordnance technician, days before the assault. "We are as prepared as we can be though."

With thousands of Marines and coalition forces in Marjah for Operation Moshtarak, the ordnance section has been able to rearm aircraft in a matter of minutes using the flight line here.

"The Marines in the ordnance division responded perfectly in the last two days," said
Boyle. "While supporting a 24-hour flight schedule, both day crew and night crew Marines fell back on their training and performed weapon system checks, reconfiguring of the aircrafts' ordnance and countless hours of preventive maintenance on all of the AH-1W weapons systems."

Though they didn't prepare any differently, they take pride in being involved with a major operation like Operation Moshtarak.

"I feel that the difference we have made is not just the physical aspect of what we do, these aircraft are made for CAS and when Marines and other forces are in need of it, we respond within minutes to help neutralize the threat," said Boyle. "We also, in many ways, protect the Marines on the ground merely with our presence in the air. By using the aircraft as a show of force, we can help keep Marines safe. And by not even firing a round, we also show the people of Afghanistan that we are not here to harm everyone, but to help."
RCS2010
Operation Moshtarak

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