Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Kenneth Gardner | 170810-N-VO150-268 (Aug. 10, 2017) An USMC Rough Terrain Cargo Handler (RTCH) offloads...... read more read more
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Naval Beach Group Two (NBG-2) conducted seven days of in-stream offload operations with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) ship USNS DAHL during Maritime Prepositioning Force Exercise 2017 (MPFEX17) onboard Naval Station Mayport and Marine Support Facility Blount Island Command.
MPFEX17 allowed NBG-2 and component commands to support II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) and inform 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade’s (2nd MEB) preparation for the multinational naval amphibious exercise Bold Alligator 2017 (BA17)..
“The Marine Corps and Navy team work together to project force anywhere in the world,” said Capt. Michael Christopher Maroscia, 2nd MEB liaison officer to NBG-2. “We accomplish this by having the capability of being able to go from ship to shore utilizing our amphibious and MPF forces.”
In order to train this capability, NBG-2 and 2nd MEB utilized the USNS DAHL, moored several nautical miles off Naval Station Mayport, to serve as the Maritime Prepositioning Ships Squadron (MPSRON) component of an assault follow-on echelon (AFOE) Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF) offload.
“Its not every day we get to conduct a MPF offload with a MPSRON in play,” said CDR Jeffery Grant, Beachmaster Unit Two Commanding Officer and the Deputy Commander of the Navy Support Element (NSE). “By working with 2nd MEB and the MSC USNS DAHL, our Sailors were able to train every aspect of a MPF offload, from offloading gear from the MPSRON ship to delivering said gear to the Marines on the beach. MPFEX17 has provided insurmountable training to all of our Sailors and Marines involved.”
Sailors from Navy Cargo Handling Battalion One (NCHB-1) used shipboard cranes to lift gear stowed from the deepest holds of the DAHL and lower to Improved Navy Lighterage System (INLS) causeway ferries moored alongside. The INLS causeway ferries, operated by Sailors from Amphibious Construction Battalion Two (PHIBCB-2), then transported the equipment from the DAHL’s offshore position up the St. Johns River and delivered to Marines waiting at Blount Island Command.
“Our Active and Reserve Sailors absolutely made the most of this instream training opportunity alongside an active MPF ship anchored miles offshore,” said CDR Jeffrey Jasinski, PHIBCB-2’s Operations Officer. “We began by offloading all the necessary craft and support equipment from the prepo ship just as we would in a real world contingency or humanitarian support mission. The week of throughput was driven by the OPFORs priorities and intent resulting in 120 critical end items delivered to the beach to support of follow on tasking.”
During the beach approach at Blount Island Command, Beachmaster Unit Two (BMU-2) Sailors guided causeway ferries and LCM-8s down approach lanes to designated beach sites to begin offloading gear and equipment to 2nd MEB Marines. The Marines then disembarked the equipment from the causeway ferries, sorted, and moved the gear to various staging areas before pushing gear to Marine forces down range.
“MPFEX17 was a huge success,” said Grant. “We successfully moved a staggering 1,900,000 lbs of tactical vehicles, gear, and supplies from the Dahl to the beach to support our fellow Marines in the upcoming Bold Alligator Exercise. I cannot express how proud I am of all of our Sailors.”
| Date Taken: | 08.13.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 09.08.2017 13:08 |
| Story ID: | 247469 |
| Location: | MAYPORT, FL, US |
| Hometown: | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 496 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, NBG-2 Showcases MPF Offload Capabilities During MPFEX17, by PO1 Kenneth Gardner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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