‘Rhinos’ field new hydraulic excavators

Photo By Cpl. Julio McGraw | Staff Sgt. John Vasquez, heavy equipment operations chief, Marine Wing Support Squadron 374, maneuvers a John Deere 250 GR Hydraulic Excavator near the Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field, Jan. 22, 2016. The excavator enables Marines to fulfill critical engineering missions, including backhoe excavations, development of field fortifications, digging water and sewer lines, emplacement of culverts in-road, airfield construction and creating command bunkers. (Official Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Julio McGraw/Released)  

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

01.23.2016

Story by Cpl. Julio McGraw 

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - Heavy equipment operators and maintainers with Marine Wing Support Squadron 374 and MWSS-371 conducted new equipment training with the John Deere 250 GR Hydraulic Excavator near the Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field, Jan. 11-22, 2016.

MWSS-374 held the new equipment training over a two-week period for heavy equipment maintainers and operators to conduct hands-on style training with the new excavator taught by the U.S. Army Tank and Automotive Command-Life Cycle Management Command.

This is the first time MWSS-374 is using this model of hydraulic excavator aboard the Combat Center, and the excavator enables Marines to fulfill critical engineering missions including: Backhoe excavations, development of field fortifications, digging water and sewer lines, emplacement of culverts in-road, airfield construction and creating command bunkers. It completes these missions by utilizing interchangeable attachments. The excavator is scheduled to be fielded across the Marine Corps by September 2016.

• Date Taken: 01.23.2016
• Date Posted: 01.27.2016 21:10
• Story ID: 187189
• Location: MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, US