15th MEU hosts open house for Cold Bay residents during NE21

Photo By Spc. Grace Nechanicky | U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 164 (Reinforced), 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., speak with community members of Cold Bay, Alaska, about their UH-1Y Venom helicopters during an open house community relations event hosted May 8, 2021, as part of Northern Edge 2021. Approximately 15,000 U.S. service members are participating in a joint training exercise hosted by U.S. Pacific Air Forces May 3-14, 2021, on and above the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, the Gulf of Alaska, and temporary maritime activities area. NE21 is one in a series of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command exercises designed to sharpen the joint forces’ skills; to practice tactics, techniques, and procedures; to improve command, control and communication relationships; and to develop cooperative plans and programs. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Grace Nechanicky)  

COLD BAY, AK, UNITED STATES

05.08.2021

Story by Spc. Grace Nechanicky 

Pacific Air Forces

COLD BAY, Alaska (May 8, 2021) – U.S. Marines with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, hosted an open house community relations event at Cold Bay Airport, Alaska, May 8, 2021.

The event allowed members of the community to visit multiple static displays set up by the Marines, so they could demonstrate their jobs and equipment, as well as answer Cold Bay residents’ questions. The open house took place as part of the Marines’ stay within the town for Exercise Northern Edge 2021.

“As a community member and as a mayor, I can say that from my point of view, we absolutely love having the military here,” said Hap Kremer, mayor of the town and airport manager of Cold Bay Airport. “It’s been a really good experience. We’re really hoping that it opens a door for future events.”

The open house consisted of multiple displays, including two UH-1Y Venom helicopters, and two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters, all open for community members to tour the inside while talking with the pilots and crew members; a bite demonstration by military working dogs; two Oshkosh Striker T3000 firetrucks; and a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS.

Most of the equipment and demonstrations at the open house were integral to the training that the 15th MEU conducted as part of the NE21 exercise. For example, the fire trucks that were on display for residents to look at and interact with were also part of the training for the Marine Corps expeditionary firefighting and rescue specialists. These Marines partnered with their civilian counterparts at Cold Bay Airport’s firehouse to put out fires in simulated drills, as well as one real-world incident when a small bush plane crashed. The Marines and the civilian firefighters worked together in this real-world emergency to put the fire out and provide medical care to the pilot and passenger of the airplane.

“We’re just super grateful that they opened up their arms and their firehouse to us to let come here and hang out with them and get some good training together,” said Marine Sgt. Joseph Graydon, an expeditionary firefighting and rescue crew leader. “We really appreciate that.”

The 15th MEU was the lead unit at Cold Bay, which is one of five bases in Alaska involved during NE21. The Marines stationed here for the duration of the exercise conducted multiple operations including equipment loading onto aircraft, air operations, real-world and training firefighting and rescue missions, forward arming and refueling, and HIMARS operations.

Graydon said that the training the Marines had with their civilian counterparts during their short time in town was some of the most valuable since the beginning of their eight-month-long deployment, which they had just come from at the start of the exercise. He also expressed his gratitude toward the rest of the community of Cold Bay for welcoming the unit.

“The people are extremely loving and caring, and they took us right in with open arms,” said Graydon. “We definitely feel very welcome here, and we love working with them.”

The Cold Bay community has experience with military units frequently using the airport as a strategic hub; however, nothing of this scale had occurred within the town for decades up until now, and the community expressed excitement over the 15th MEU’s stay.

Kremer added that the exercise had been beneficial for the community members, and that he has hopes of hosting future military exercises within his town.

“If they want to come and do it again, we absolutely loved doing the cross-training with the Marines here,” said Kremer. “It’s been really good for me and my crew to have the opportunity to do a little more training, and the word we’re getting from those guys [is] they’re absolutely loving the training that they’re getting to do here as well.”

• Date Taken: 05.08.2021
• Date Posted: 05.13.2021 13:27
• Story ID: 396298
• Location: COLD BAY, AK, US