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Out of the darkness the trademark whine of a CH-53E Super Stallion approaches the staging area where Marines prepare to recover a stranded pilot in a training exercise at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Sept. 21.
Marines from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division participated in a tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel course, otherwise known as TRAP, in preparation for the Special-Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force, Crisis response-Africa deployment.
SPMAGTF-CR-AF extends humanitarian aid to countries in need, supports embassies in the region, and acts as a contingency response for the Africa command area.
“We [could] be in a hot bed for terrorist activity and civil unrest,” said Cpl. William J. Edwards, the TRAP platoon 1st search section leader. “I personally believe this training is important, especially given the fact that we have quite a few junior Marines that don’t have much experience with helicopter inserts or having to respond quickly to a situation.”
Throughout the deployment, the TRAP platoon will be ready at a moment’s notice to rescue downed personnel and recover aircraft. TRAP training prepares the platoon to swiftly and confidently enter potentially hostile areas, recover personnel and retrieve or destroy sensitive material.
“The basic training missions we ran out here this week involved downed, unmanned aerial vehicles, downed pilots and any type of sensitive material that was on those aircrafts or that the pilot may have with him,” said Staff Sgt. Allen Janis, the platoon sergeant of TRAP platoon. “Our job is to go recover the pilot and passengers as quickly as possible or that classified information on that aircraft before it gets into the wrong hands.”
The Marines must become accustom to all possible variables and threats, including hostiles, improvised explosive devices, weather, terrain, and local presence.
TRAP training provides Marines the opportunity to hone their ability to control situations by simulating real-life scenarios day and night. Practical application allows them to get comfortable on and off loading aircraft, securing an area and safely working with foreign nationals, said Staff Sgt. Jason Anduha, a TRAP instructor with Expeditionary Operations Training Group.
Anduha has experience conducting ground operations as an infantry unit leader.
“The fact that [the SPMAGTF-CR-AF] has the TRAP platoon designated allows them freedom of movement in the area so they can push assets down to those areas and still have the security knowing that they have that element that can go retrieve [the personnel] if something were to go wrong,” said Edwards.
In the after-action meeting the instructors congratulated the team for a job well done on successfully completing the mission. The skills Marines take with them from the TRAP course ensures that Marines return home safely from deployment.
| Date Taken: | 09.21.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 09.27.2016 17:06 |
| Story ID: | 210761 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 87 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, 1/2 conducts TRAP training, by SSgt Victoria Ross, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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