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Marine Air Control Squadron 2 conducted an exercise on Elliot’s Beach aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island July 18. The exercise was conducted to test and maintain Marines’ proficiency with equipment in a field environment.
The Marines with the Early Warning Control Detachment set up a convoy to mobilize gear to MCRD Parris Island and set up an operational site in a timely manner.
“We provide radar assisted procedural control,” said Capt. James Marley, the EWC detachment commander. “Once an aircraft is handed off from air traffic control, we take over while they travel through our airspace.”
The mission of the EWC detachment is to provide the capability to move and set up specialized equipment to provide support to the Marine Air Ground Task Force. Marines with different military occupational specialties work together to detect, identify, and control aircraft as well as provide radar assistance.
“It’s important for my Marines to be out here because this affords them the opportunity to learn and execute their job in a real world situation,” said Marley. Marines train on a daily basis to ensure they are ready when the call is made.
Marine Air Control Squadron 2 has been engaged in World War II, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The squadron has six detachments throughout the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing to assist air traffic control operations.
“A third of my crew has not had the opportunity to move the gear in this capacity and we wanted to make sure the junior Marines learned from the experienced [Noncommissioned Officers],” said Marley.
A majority of the unit’s junior Marines have little to no field experience. The Marines are guided by their NCOs to perform their jobs as safely and efficiently as possible in a different environment than what they are used to.
“Normally our gear would stay in one place, but doing exercises like this keeps the Marines prepared,” said Sgt. Nicole Mestre, a technical data systems administrator. “As the EWC detachment, our job is to get out here, set up, and guide the planes where they need to be.”
The EWC detachment in Beaufort is part of Marine Air Control Group 28. The Marines of MACS-2 act as the eyes on the ground for pilots assisting the air traffic controllers of the air station, giving them the nickname ‘the eyes of the MAGTF’. The detachment contains Marines of many different jobs and skills working as a team to accomplish the same mission, supporting the pilots of Marine Aircraft Group 31.
| Date Taken: | 07.18.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 07.26.2016 10:23 |
| Story ID: | 205076 |
| Location: | BEAUFORT, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 300 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, MACS-2 simulates field environment, by Cpl Samantha Foster, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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