SPMAGTF – CR –CC Change of Command

Photo By Cpl. Cansin Hardyegritag | U.S. Marine Col. Jay Bargeron, commanding officer, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Central Command 15.2, addresses Marines and sailors during a transfer of authority ceremony, Apr. 18, 2015, in the Central Command area of operations. The ceremony marked the transfer of command as the first iteration of SPMAGTF – CR – CC returns home and entrusts their mission to the next rotation.  

(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)

04.28.2015

Story by Cpl. Carson Gramley 

Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION - U.S. Marines and sailors assigned to Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Central Command, took responsibility of their mission in the Central Command area of operations in September of 2014. The Marines and sailors who established and confirmed the validity of this unprecedented force will relinquish command April 21 and entrust their mission to the second iteration of SPMAGTF – CR – CC.

A Marine Air Ground Task Force is broken into four key elements; a logistics combat element [LCE], a ground combat element [GCE], an aviation combat element [ACE] and a command element [CE]. Each element works together, using their individual skills and assets to accomplish the mission at hand.

The idea for SPMAGTF – CR - CC originated to provide the commander of U.S. Central Command with a forward–deployed, shore–based, scalable and self–contained Marine air ground logistics team able to rapidly respond to crisis contingency missions to conduct steady–state theater security cooperation.

Col. Jason Q. Bohm, commanding officer of SPMAGTF – CR – CC, explained the need for such a force to be present within the Central Command area of operations.

“We are currently deployed to six different countries across the [area of operations] and we’re doing a myriad of different operations,” said Bohm. “We’re providing [security forces] for two different bases in two different countries, we’re training one other nation’s quick reaction force, we have Marines that are conducting combat operations in support of [Iraqi Security Forces] in Iraq and we have aviation assets that are actively dropping bombs on Daesh or ISIL forces in Iraq and Syria.”

With the dynamic nature of the CENTCOM mission, SPMAGTF – CR – CC had to alter their original mission to support a wide array of supplementary, offensive, and defensive operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

“When we first got out here, Operation Inherent Resolve was just developing. We weren’t originally assigned to that mission,” said 1st Lt. Clinton Staschke, assistant operations officer for the LCE, SPMAGTF – CR – CC. “When we came out here we were to be on call for crisis response and when OIR officially kicked off and the Marine Corps was involved, they assigned us to that mission.”

SPMAGTF – CR – CC distributed their forces across the area of operations to affirm their “right force, right place, right time” approach to respond to the rising threats and turmoil in the region.

“The inherent and unique value of a MAGTF came to bear as soon as we arrived in theater and enabled us to become involved in Operation Inherent Resolve,” said Bohm.

Along with maintaining their primary mission, SPMAGTF – CR – CC kept readiness and responsiveness in mind throughout the deployment. Through internal, joint and coalition training 15.1 was able to support the mission by keeping their Marines and sailors consistent and effective.

At Al Asad Airbase, Iraq, a Build Partner Capacity team of Marines and sailors with Task Force Al Asad assisted in training more than 1000 Iraqi Security Forces soldiers. ISF forces trained at Al Asad contributed directly to the security of the surrounding areas.

Throughout the area of operations, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment and other supporting elements maintained security for much of SPMAGTF – CR – CC. This involved sustaining around the clock security forces, embassy reinforcement, a crisis response company and a Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel force.

“The original mission for the crisis response company was two-fold: the first mission was the Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel and the second was the company quick reaction force,” said Capt. Will Carrigan, company commander for Company E, 2/7. “These missions required the Marines and sailors in the company to quickly mobilize and rapidly deploy anywhere in the central command area of operations.”

In the seemingly short time SPMAGTF – CR – CC remained in the region, much progress has been made. The Marines and sailors brought the force from just meeting the requirements for initial operating capacity to taking on a new mission and conducting operations in six countries.

Marines from the first iteration of SPMAGTF – CR – CC understand and appreciate the value of the experiences they had during their deployment.

“As far as the SPMAGTF is concerned, I’m very proud to be a part of the unit,” said Cpl. Jefferey Hood, chemical biological radiological nuclear specialist, SPMAGTF – CR – CC. “Even though my specific MOS and what I do played a very small part in a very large picture … it’s a proud feeling to be able to say that I worked toward the greater good … something much larger than yourself.”

As the commanding officer of more than 2,300 Marines and sailors, Bohm said he is pleased with how the SPMAGTF adapted to meet it’s new mission.

“We teach our Marines and instilled in them that we do windows,” said Bohm. “We do whatever is required of the mission at hand.”

On April 21 the second rotation of SPMAGTF – CR – CC will officially take command of the mission and responsibilities in the CENTCOM area of operations. With big shoes to fill and the world watching, another group of Marines and sailors eagerly begin their deployment.

• Date Taken: 04.28.2015
• Date Posted: 05.06.2015 06:51
• Story ID: 161547
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)