Marines share their knowledge, experience with congressional staffers at Marine Day 2011

Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Alexis Mulero | Marines and civilians alike enjoyed watching a combined arms exercise at Marine Day 2011. Marine Day is a once-a-year Commandant of the Marine Corps event, which showcases the Marine Corps’ current and future capabilities to members of Congress and their staffs.  

QUANTICO, VA, UNITED STATES

05.18.2011

Story by Gunnery Sgt. Alexis Mulero 

Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, Marine Forces Command, Marine Forces Northern Command

QUANTICO, Va.--Two infantry skills instructors from the Training Instructor Group of Marine Corps Training and Advisory Group in Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story conducted a foreign weapons static display at Marine Day 2011 on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., April 29.

Staff Sgt. Beau Mattioda and Sgt. Jeremy Metcalf are resident experts in the area of foreign weaponry, and their knowledge and experience brought a special element to this once-a-year Commandant of the Marine Corps event which showcases Unites States Marine Corps’ current and future capabilities.

“Marine Day provides MCTAG and other Marine units a venue to educate congressional staffers on the Marine Corps and its capabilities,” said Brig. Gen. Frank L. Kelley, commander Marine Corps Systems Command. “Having MCTAG Marines and other Marines present at Marine Day to tell their individual Marine Corps story to congressional staffers is a key aspect of the event.”

The Marine Corps Training and Advisory Group was created in 2007 to address an increasing requirement for security cooperation and security force assistance missions around the world and foreign weapons instruction is one of a myriad of security cooperation and advisory-related training that the unit provides.

The Marine Corps has a long tradition of security cooperation efforts that dates to the 1920s and 30s when the Marine Corps trained the Gendarmerie d’Haiti and Guardia Nacional of Nicaragua.

Kelley, who is a native of Philadelphia added, “MCTAG’s mission of building partner nation capability and capacity through security cooperation and advisory missions is critical: Our successes in current and past conflicts demonstrate the importance of that level of engagement. Marine Day is a great opportunity for MCTAG Marines to portray their important mission to congressional staffers.”

Some of the weapons that Metcalf and Mattioda introduced to the more than 500 honorary guests included the Heckler and Koch G3 battle rifle, FN FAL light automatic rifle, and numerous variations of the world-renown AK-47 assault rifle.

“Teams providing marksmanship training to foreign nations must be proficient in the weapons that these nation use in order to have a positive and lasting effect,” said Metcalf who is a native of Lake Jackson, Texas.

In addition to foreign weapons training, MCTAG Marines also instruct security cooperation teams in non-lethal weapons, individual force protection, small unit tactics, patrolling, basic urban skills, and language and cultural skills.

“In order for regional Marine Forces Commanders to complete their security cooperation objectives within their regions, the Trainer Instructor Group at MCTAG tailors training plans according to the mission essential tasks handed down by the Combatant Commanders,” said Mattioda who is a team chief at the TIG.

All in all, the event turned out being a win-win situation for everyone involved and the purpose of the event was fulfilled.

“My knowledge of the Marine Corps was very limited before today,” said Christine DeLeon, assistant staff director on the Committee on House Administration. “Now I have a much greater appreciation for the Marines and the detail and technology involved in what they do.”

• Date Taken: 05.18.2011
• Date Posted: 05.18.2011 09:21
• Story ID: 70583
• Location: QUANTICO, VA, US