Headline: EXPO shows Marines the future

Courtesy Photo | Maj. Gen. Michael R. Regner, 1st Marine Division commanding general, gives an interview to a local news station during the opening of the Marine West Expo’s three-day event that was held at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, South Mesa staff noncommissioned officer club, Jan. 26. Items showcased at the expo included visionary equipment displays and computer simulations of cutting edge technology designed specifically for the Marine Corps. The new and improved combat equipment, systems and technology that enable Marines to meet intense performance demands as well as keep pace with the rapidly changing face of combat operations. (Official Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Paul Torres)  

CAMP PENDLETON, CA, UNITED STATES

01.26.2011

Courtesy Story

1st Marine Division

Story by Cpl. Paul Torres

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – The Marine Corps is often regarded as “the tip of the spear.” For those who are forward deployed, like many of the Marines with 1st Marine Division, new technologies and better equipment help keep that spear sharp and effective.

The Marine West Military Expo is a three-day event that brings together many of the contractors who develop and supply American service members with the technology that gives U.S. forces the fighting edge on the battlefield.

“A great preponderance of vendors today [employ] veterans,” said Maj. Gen. Michael R. Regner, 1st Marine Division commanding general. “That is important because nobody knows what I need in an infantry unit [like] a veteran who is serving as your display demonstrator.”

Marines were able to handle the new gear, ask questions and provide feedback to the vendors. From new armor being developed for vehicles, to radio-controlled spy robots, to new training software, the Marine West Military Expo showcased the latest technology and prototypes aimed at preparing today’s Marines for the challenges of the 21st century.

This annual event brought together leading defense contractors with those who depend on the equipment and information they provide.

“This is a great opportunity for a small unit leader to, say, bring in his colonel to let him see the stuff that they are using,” said Jerry Hartsock, a vendor with Automated Business and Power. “A lot of the times we go out into the field when we are teaching how to use our products, but this provides a more informal setting where we can show what all we have and some other things we might be working on.”

Items showcased included visionary equipment displays and computer simulations of cutting edge technology designed specifically for the Marine Corps. The new and improved combat equipment, systems and technology that enable Marines to meet intense performance demands as well as keep pace with the rapidly changing face of combat operations.

“If you do not have communication or resources so that young lieutenants and staff NCOs that are 20 to 40 kilometers away from their command element, can shoot, move and communicate, they will not survive on today’s battlefield,” said Regner.

• Date Taken: 01.26.2011
• Date Posted: 01.28.2011 17:24
• Story ID: 64414
• Location: CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US