MCSCG trains IMEF Marines, Security Cooperation

Photo By Master Sgt. Scott McAdam | Staff Sgt. Miguel Angulo (left) assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in Camp Pendleton and Lance Cpl. Geovanni Deras teach a weapons handling class to Central American role players during Marine Corps Security Cooperation Team (MCSCT)15.1's certification exercise Dec. 3. Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group uses the certification exercise to evaluate teams on their mastery of the previous four weeks of training. MCSCT 15.1 is slated to deploy to Central America in support of the Marine Corps' security cooperation mission.  

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, UNITED STATES

12.05.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Scott McAdam 

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

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – A Marine Corps Forces South security cooperation team completed the certification exercise portion of its five week advisor training hosted by Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group (MCSCG), Marine Corps Forces Command Dec. 4.

The certification exercise (Dec 2-4) was the culminating event encompassing the skills the Marines learned in the last four weeks of training.

“We want to see if they’re carrying those (skills) forward or forgetting things,” said Gunnery Sgt. Joe Salinas, an instructor with MCSCG.

The team was assembled of Marines exclusively from I Marine Expeditionary Force and flown to Virginia Beach for one simple reason: resources. In and around MCSCG’s home station of Joint-Expeditionary Base Little Creek – Fort Story, training packages can be built and executed leveraging the abundance of ranges, closed-driving courses, classrooms and instructors MCSCG has access to.

“They have the classroom area, the training areas and the instructors to train a team up,” said 1st Sgt. Roberto Burba, 1st Sgt. for Marine Corps Security Cooperation Team 15.1 (MCSCT 15.1). “All of the resources are in place and set up here.”

The training packages MCSCG builds also integrate a large portion of operational cultural classes focusing on local customs and courtesies to better prepare the teams to communicate and interact with their host nation counterparts.

“In the last four weeks we’ve been here we’ve also received numerous cultural awareness classes in host nation history, military structure and their way of life,” said Burba, a Los Angeles native.
Most of the team speaks fluent Spanish but learned that teaching classes in a language other than one’s own primary language can be difficult.

“The language was the hardest part,” said Lance Cpl. Geovanni Deras a student in the course. “Trying to teach a class is very difficult because you have to keep the flow of the class and try and use their lingo.”

In addition to the regional dialect, some of the Marines found they had to drastically expand their vocabulary.

“I can easily speak Spanish to my parents, but you have to learn how to apply it to military terms” said Deras. “Being an armorer and going down there, I have to know the Spanish name for all of the different rifle parts.”

Though the Marines come from varying Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), their primary focus is teaching Marine Corps infantry tactics to Central American host nation militaries.
According to Burba, the fact that a team of Marines from different MOS backgrounds teaching infantry tactics showcases the fact that every Marine is a rifleman.

The team will be deploying to Central America in order to strengthen partnerships, build capacity and share best practices.
“We’re going to build that relationship, help them understand the capacity of us working with them and the end state is for them to do it themselves,” said Lt. Col. Monte Powell, officer in charge, MCSCT15.1.

• Date Taken: 12.05.2014
• Date Posted: 12.16.2014 10:09
• Story ID: 150426
• Location: VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, US