III MHG gets Combat Operations Center

Photo By Cpl. Mark Stroud | Marines from III Marine Headquarters Grouptrain are instructed on the communications capabilities of the new Combat Operations Center here March 1. Marines from III MHG have been training with the new COC for over a week, learning how to rapidly assemble, use and dissamble the system in preperation for future deployments.  

OKINAWA, JAPAN

03.01.2011

Story by Pfc. Mark Stroud 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

OKINAWA, Japan - Marines with III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, III MEF, trained with a new Combat Operations Center here March 1. The COC uses equipment standardized across the Marine Corps.

Previously, the Marine Corps did not have standardized equipment for use in COC’s, allowing units to field systems unique to their command which created a difficult learning curve for Marines transferring to new units, said Glen Brown, COC new equipment training leader, Marine Corps Systems Command, Headquarters Marine Corps, here to teach the Marines to use the new system.

The new COC uses the same equipment popular in versions throughout the Corps, creating a high degree of familiarity with most Marines.

This system standardizes the equipment and puts it together in a modular and scalable system, leaving Marines who have worked with COCs before a high level of familiarity, said Brown.

The familiarity allowed Marines here from 7th Communication Battalion and Headquarters and Service Battalion, III MHG as well as 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III MEF, and 3rd Intelligence Battalion, III MHG, to learn quickly under the tutelage of MARCORSYSCOM contracted instructors.

The Marines here have set up the tents and generators before but are still learning how to assemble the more complex interior networking equipment, said Master Sgt. James Knuckles, operations chief, S-3, III MHG.

The Marines participating in the training will form the core headquarters group for future 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade exercises and have learned how to transport, rapidly set up and break down the equipment without instructor supervision.

“We are still real new to it right now, so having the instructors on board helps out,” said Knuckles.

The III MHG expects to participate in regular sustainment training to ensure Marines operating at the COC keep their skill set sharp and allow new Marines to be rotated into the training to increase the pool of service members qualified to operate the COC.

“Train the trainer is basically what we are going for,” said Knuckles. “We are going to do some sustainment training throughout, maybe once a quarter just come out and set it up.”

In addition to allowing Marines to move between units without having to familiarize themselves with new equipment, Marines can now move in between division, regiment and battalion-level COCs easily due to the scalable and modular construction, said Thomas Wright, COC new equipment training instructor, MARCORSYSCOM.

“The only difference in the combat operations center is the size of the unit; for example, the battalion combat operations center, they have all the same equipment, just less of it,” said Wright. “If a Marine has already worked on a smaller COC, then he already has an idea of what he needs to do [for a division COC].”

This ability to move Marines in from different commands or from a subordinate unit, along with the rapid deployment ability increase the operational readiness of III MEF and will serve Marines well on future deployments.

“When they are done here next week, these Marines will have put the system up twice and torn it down three times,” said Wright. “So the next time they go out to the field, they’ll be able to roll out there and do it by themselves without having to have civilian contractors out there to help them do it.”

• Date Taken: 03.01.2011
• Date Posted: 03.09.2011 22:45
• Story ID: 66750
• Location: OKINAWA, JP