UDP brings Richmond Marines overseas

Photo By Sgt. Erik Brooks | Gunnery Sgt. Raoul P. Sheridan, left and Sgt. Justin R. Burch discuss which route to take during a patrol here Nov. 14. The Marines are from 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. The Marines used a topographical map and a compass to navigate the woods surrounding their gun position. Sheridan likens an artillery battery to a “Swiss army knife” because in combat operations it is a self-contained unit that provides its own security in addition to conducting its primary mission.  

CAMP FUJI, AICHI, JAPAN

11.18.2011

Story by Lance Cpl. Erik Brooks 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP FUJI, Japan – Typically, they only get together once a month. Typically, they work nine-hour days or attend classes full time. However, for this group of Marines, the next six months will be anything but typical.

The Unit Deployment Program has brought Hotel Battery, a reserve artillery unit based in Richmond, Va., to 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, based in Okinawa, Japan.

Before being selected to come to III MEF, Hotel’s Marines only met once a month to practice firing drills.

“On a selected Friday, the Marines would come in and prepare to go to the field the next day,” said Capt. Eric L. Jones, commanding officer for Hotel. “We would then push out to the firing site, fire and on Sunday push back home. We also annually execute more extensive training for two weeks during the summer.”

This limited schedule only allowed the Marines so much training, said 1st Sgt. David T. Orsi, the first sergeant for the battery.

“The UDP is a great opportunity for our Marines,” said Jones. “Since we only met once a month before, they will be able to learn a lot more about their MOS than they would back in the states.”

While attached to III MEF, Hotel will have the opportunity to train plenty, including as part of the Artillery Relocation Training Program. Just weeks after arriving to Japan, Hotel left Okinawa to conduct ARTP 11-3 from Nov. 4-30 with 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines. Their ability to immediately deploy on arrival did not magically happen.

Hotel had to do a variety of things to make this UDP happen, said Orsi. The battery got the Marines administratively, medically and legally prepared as well as ensuring the completion of all required training qualifications.

“Most of the training we did was driving,” said Orsi. “We needed to make sure the Marines were up to date on all requirements so we could start training as a battery immediately on our arrival.”

Additionally, Hotel needed to fill a personnel requirement in order to deploy. For this, they received augments from Golf and India batteries, both reserve units from the Northeast, said Jones.

Most of Hotel’s Marines either go to school full time or have full-time jobs, said Orsi. This required most of his Marines to put their everyday life on hold in order to come to Japan.

“The Marines in this battery are a very close-knit group,” said Orsi.

According to Orsi, some of the Marines go to school and work together. There are even brothers and cousins who are serving or have served together.

“It is not uncommon for one brother to be checking out of the battery while another is checking in,” said Orsi.

Hotel battery will be deployed under the UDP to III MEF for six months, said Jones.

“The Marines were excited to come here to train and get a look at what active duty Marines do every day,” said Orsi. “This is a great opportunity to train day in and day out. We will be taking full advantage of what we have here.”

• Date Taken: 11.18.2011
• Date Posted: 11.28.2011 18:58
• Story ID: 80637
• Location: CAMP FUJI, AICHI, JP