II MEF Marines complete MCSCG’s advisor training

Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Jessika Alarcon | A member of the advise and assist team from 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force demonstrates hall clearing procedures during a three-day mission support exercise aboard the Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex. The MSE, hosted by the Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group, is designed for Marines to apply vital skill sets during partner nation training, advisory, assistance and assessment functions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jessika Acosta/ RELEASED)  

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, UNITED STATES

04.27.2015

Story by Cpl. Jessika Alarcon 

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

NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA DAM NECK ANNEX, Virginia Beach, Va.-- Marines with the advise and assist team from 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force took part in a capstone mission support exercise April 27 to April 29 at a simulated Middle Eastern village on base.

The exercise was an evaluation event conducted by the Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group, testing the Marines’ abilities to perform partner nation training, advising, assisting, and assessing skills learned during a two-week training session in preparation for deployment to the Central Command area of operations.

“The MSE is designed to allow the students to interact with the role players simulating foreign security forces to improve the Marines’ understanding of the processes that are inherent to that organization,” said Lt. Col. Mark Boone, MCSCG’s senior assessor for the advise and assist team’s training. The goal of the exercise is to give the team members experience through action.

Instructors and evaluators from MCSCG used a building block approach to increase the team’s understanding of their impact on foreign military counterparts with the help of cultural subject matter experts.

“It’s very important to build rapport with our partners so that trust and confidence is built. It’s going to be the foundation on which all other interactions will build upon,” said Master Sgt. Roy A. Hall III, the team’s senior enlisted advisor. “If your counterpart does not know where you are from or the kind of the individual you are, [then] that foundation is not very solid.”

The scenario challenged the Marines’ training skills by testing their ability to deliver periods of instruction in basic patrolling, safe weapons handling, vehicle search conduct and house clearing procedures with the assistance of an interpreter.

The team also faced scenario conditions emphasizing the importance of developing trust and establishing communication lines with foreign partners when challenged with events requiring Advisor trainees to prioritize partner nations’ processes over their own while adhering to their rules of engagement.

“Just like Marine Corps training, this exercise allows them the opportunity to work in an immersion environment in preparation for a deployment,” said Boone, a Jacksonville, Oregon native. “An Advisor, through their experience, understanding of the partner culture and intellectual curiosity must see the problem set as closely as possible through their partners lens and not fix it. The job of the Advisor is to see the problem and enable their partner to see the problem and guide them to their own sustainable solution. This is the essence of advising.”

“The training that we are receiving here has been very beneficial,” said Hall. “I have the opportunity to be the intelligence chief on a small advisory team, and get a different perspective outside my normal day to day functions. It’s just a great opportunity to be with a unique team and to go out and do good things.”

• Date Taken: 04.27.2015
• Date Posted: 05.01.2015 18:19
• Story ID: 162016
• Location: VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, US
• Hometown: ALBANY, NY, US
• Hometown: CORPUS CHRISTI, TX, US
• Hometown: JACKSONVILLE, OR, US