2nd LAAD Battalion Supports WTI 2-15

CHERRY POINT, NC, UNITED STATES

03.26.2015

Story by 1st Lt. Maida Zheng 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

CHERRY POINT, N.C. - 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion deployed to Yuma, Ariz., March 26, for a semi-annual training exercise.

The training exercise is intended to prepare the battalion for critical employments of the battalion headquarters, two firing batteries and a supporting headquarters and service support battery.

2nd LAAD is joining forces with other units across the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and units across the continental U.S. for Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course 2-15, a course designed to apply the latest in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground communications and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief tactics.

As they are frequent participants of WTI, Capt. Leonard Niedosik, the operations officer of 2nd LAAD, states that this evolution is particularly noteworthy because it is the first time in 15 years that the unit is deploying all three batteries, battalion headquarters and nearly every operational piece of equipment, weapon and rolling stock available to support the exercise.

"This is the battalion's readiness exercise, and it is large scale," said Niedosik. "We are treating this exercise as a real-world deployment - everything from getting the battalion out the door and conducting basic pre-deployment briefs, fixing trucks, providing medical and dental needs to firing stinger missiles, crew-served and small arms weapons."

Highlights of WTI will include a scenario-based Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation and multiple large-scale, combined arms exercises.

2nd LAAD's mission is to provide close-in, low altitude, surface-to-air weapons fires, and when task organized, provide command and control, and forces for ground security in defense of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Commander's designated vital areas.

• Date Taken: 03.26.2015
• Date Posted: 03.26.2015 19:11
• Story ID: 158286
• Location: CHERRY POINT, NC, US