Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa Marines conduct an Evacuation Control Center exercise

Photo By Sgt. Adwin Esters | Marines from Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa carry a role player to the medical section on a litter during an evacuation control center training exercise, July 20, 2012. Marines and sailors of Special-Purpose MAGTF Africa took part in ECC training on Naval Station Rota, Spain. The exercise allowed the Special-Purpose MAGTF to practice a noncombatant evacuation operation.  

ROTA, SPAIN

07.27.2012

Story by Cpl. Adwin Esters 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa     

ROTA, Spain – Reserve Marines and sailors of Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa participated in crisis response training during an evacuation control center exercise, July 20, 2012.

The exercise included over 50 Marines and sailors from Special-Purpose MAGTF Africa, Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team Company Europe and sailors from Combined Task Force-68 serving as administrators, role players and security personnel.

“The exercise involves getting evacuees and American citizens out of a country or area that is unstable,” said Maj. Nickolas Hight, officer in charge of ECC operations for Special-Purpose MAGTF Africa. “We have to identify the categories of evacuees and move them through a number of stations for pat-down searches, administrative processing, and medical inspections before they can be evacuated safely.”

At any given time the Department of State may call for the evacuation of U.S. citizens out of a foreign country facing natural disasters, political unrest or a deteriorating government. In that situation, a noncombatant evacuation operation is conducted to evacuate U.S. citizens whose lives are in danger. Once the Secretary of State approves an evacuation, the U.S. ambassador to the country has the authority to implement the plan in a crisis.

After a plan is implemented an ECC is set up to allow U.S. forces to enter the unstable area and a comprehensive plan for accountability, safety, and care of evacuees is then put into effect. U.S. citizens, Department of Defense civilian personnel, designated host nation and third country nationals can then be processed and evacuated. The purpose is to prepare the evacuees for eventual overseas movement to a temporary safe haven or the United States.

Special-Purpose MAGTF Africa is able to establish an ECC and stands ready to assist in conducting a NEO for U.S. Africa Command if an evacuation is needed.

The training, which took place in a training facility for military operations in urban terrain on Naval Station Rota, prepared Special-Purpose MAGTF Africa for humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, peacekeeping missions, non-combatant evacuations, and crisis response operations.

The Marines and sailors were challenged with different scenarios during the exercise that tested their ability to respond to random issues that could arise in a real evacuation. Some of the scenarios had evacuees starting riots, attempting to smuggle in contraband, or people seeking to be evacuated despite having serious health problems.

“During evacuations, we provide general medical care and emergency care,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Tim Riesche, a hospital corpsman with Special-Purpose MAGTF Africa. “We are also able to quarantine people in case anyone has a highly infectious disease.”

This is not the first time Special-Purpose MAGTF Africa has refreshed their crisis response skills. The MAGTF has been developing this capability since their pre-deployment training aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., earlier this year.

“Part of our mandate is to be proficient in an ECC situation,” said Hight. “We accomplished that by setting a goal of 50 evacuees processed in an hour and actually exceeding that goal by processing 112.”

Special-Purpose MAGTF Africa is comprised of approximately 125 Reserve Marines and sailors from 32 different units from across the country and is based at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy. The MAGTF deploys small teams to support U.S. Department of State sponsored missions for Marine Forces Africa and U.S. Africa Command and also has the ability to assist with crisis response, such as the one practiced in the ECC exercise.

In his 2012 report to the House Committee on Appropriations on the posture of the United States Marine Corps, Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. James F. Amos said, “Our operational Reserve component retains the capacity and capability to support steady-state and crisis response operations through rotational deployments, and to rapidly surge in support of major contingency operations. Such a flexible and multi-capable force that maintains high readiness levels can mitigate risk and satisfy the standing strategic need for crisis response.”

• Date Taken: 07.27.2012
• Date Posted: 07.27.2012 06:38
• Story ID: 92241
• Location: ROTA, ES