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Whether you are cultivating crops, ideas or people; it takes effective planning and execution to create a bountiful harvest. Marine Corps aviation is no different.
Training the future of Marine Corps aviation is a significant task, and the leadership at 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing recognizes the importance of ensuring the well-being of future pilots, crewmen, and maintainers assigned throughout fleet replacement squadrons within 2nd MAW.
Replacement squadrons train Marines on the requirements of the specific aircraft they will be assigned to when they reach their fleet squadron. This is the place where the seeds will be planted and begin to be fertilized to ensure the future of Marine Corps aviation continues to blossom.
“It’s the starting point to their fleet service in the Marine Corps,” said Maj. Gen. Matthew Glavy, the commanding general of 2nd MAW. “They become naval aviators, naval flight officers or aspiring crew chiefs. They learn how to operate the systems, and then get ready to actually join a fleet squadron.”
There are four replacement squadrons within 2nd MAW with each focusing on a different aircraft. Marines learn about the AV-8B Harrier at Marine Attack Training Squadron 203; the MV-22 Osprey at Marine Medium Tiltrotor Training Squadron 204; the CH-53 Super Stallion at Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron 302; and the F-35B Lightning II at Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501.
The Marines learning how to operate and maintain these aircraft are important, but it’s the instructors behind the scenes who play arguably the most pivotal role in developing these new Marine aviators. It is their responsibility to “equip the man, not man the equipment,” a core concept of the Marine Corps.
“This is the first phase of it, and if we don’t build on good ground we could have problems later on as they mature,” explained Glavy. “If we don’t do it right and we don’t make it a priority to put the right instructors and the right Marines [in a place to] take care of these airplanes and teach, then we aren’t going to get a good product down the line. It’s really important to get it right from the start.“
These Marines are the future of Marine Corps aviation community and must be ready to maintain their squadron’s readiness upon arrival.
“We want to make sure we bring the best and brightest into our squadrons,” said Glavy. “We have to do it right. It’s the seed corn. If you don’t till and sow the field correctly, we are never going to get the harvest out. It’s really important to get this right for the rest of the Marine Corps and the joint forces.”
| Date Taken: | 07.11.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 07.11.2017 16:20 |
| Story ID: | 240793 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 405 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Fleet Replacement Squadrons: Developing the best Marines for the wing, by Sgt Cody Lemons, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
