U.S. Marines maintain readiness through rehearsal

Photo By Sgt. Luke Hoogendam | U.S. Marines assigned to Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Africa search for notionally missing personnel during a mission readiness exercise at Naval Station Rota, Spain, Jan. 21, 2017. During the exercise, air, ground and logistics elements conducted integrated planning and execution of the Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel operations, a primary mission of the SPMAGTF. U.S. Marines and Sailors assigned to Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa Command support operations, contingencies and security cooperation in the U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Luke Hoogendam)  

ROTA, SPAIN

01.21.2017

Story by Cpl. Luke Hoogendam 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa     

NAVAL STATION ROTA, SPAIN– No matter the mission, flying presents an inherent risk to even to the most professionally trained pilots and aircrew. The Marines and Sailors of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Africa provide a swift response capability to give peace of mind to those at risk.
Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment conducted a mission readiness exercise Jan. 21, 2017, to validate their operating procedures for Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel in preparation to assume responsibilities as the rotational SPMAGTF Alert Force Company.
A TRAP mission is executed when an aircraft has been shot down by hostile forces or has a mechanical failure, and U.S. personnel need to be rescued and sensitive equipment needs to be obtained or destroyed.
“The most important part of a TRAP mission is the safety of the isolated personnel, which inherently places importance on executing the mission in a timely manner,” said 2nd Lt. Vincenzo Chiariello, an Alert Force platoon commander assigned to SPMAGTF-CR-AF
The Alert Force Company, sourced from the SPMAGTF Ground Combat Element, is just one building block that makes up the unit’s capabilities.
“Rehearsal is essential for the SPMAGTF because it allows the unit to synchronize and build muscle memory.” Chiariello said. “When we receive the notification that there is a downed pilot, we have already put the pieces together and are primed for execution.”
The task force is also composed of command, logistics, and aviation elements all vital to its autonomy and the success of rapid crisis response. The rehearsals allow those elements to integrate and validate the planning process.
One of few contingency forces in the U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility with the ability to self-deploy, SPMAGTF-CR-AF continues to provide reassurance to partner-nations and U.S. Forces alike.
Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment assumed their role in the SPMAGTF and took responsibility for the alert force mission January 24, 2017.
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• Date Taken: 01.21.2017
• Date Posted: 01.25.2017 02:53
• Story ID: 221138
• Location: ROTA, ES