Photo By Cpl. Khoa Pelczar | Marines and sailors work together to offload the equipment from an Improved Navy...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Marines with I Marine Expeditionary Force and Sailors with the 3rd Fleet teamed up to participate in exercise Pacific Horizon, Oct. 14-17, to strengthen Marine Corps core competencies as an amphibious force in readiness capable of conducting ship-to-shore movement.
During the exercise, sailors offloaded equipment and supplies from United States Naval Ship Williams using the Improved Navy Lighterage System, a floating platform that carries mission-essential equipment to troops on the shore.
After the gear is offloaded, Marines will up-armor Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement trucks, remove the up-armor from them and then backload them back onto the USNS Williams from Del Mar Beach, concluding on Nov. 5. The purpose of this training process is to see how long it takes to up-armor the vehicles to get them out to the units that need them.
"What this exercise allows us to do is build upon a historical relationship and prepare for the future," said Brig. Gen. Charles L. Hudson, commanding general of 1st Marine Logistics Group.
Having been involved in land wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for the past several years, this exercise allows Marines to get back to their amphibious roots.
"This allows us to refine one of our core competencies, which is conducting expeditionary operations, being able to conduct a forcible entry from the sea," said Hudson, 50, from Zirconia, N.C. "Marines and Sailors have been conducting operations since our birth in 1775."
Marines have worked side-by-side with sailors ever since the establishment of the Corps.
"Even though we're two different branches of the military, we're all one big team," said Seaman Apprentice Jesse Lotempio, a radio operator for Beach Master Unit 1, Naval Amphibious Base Coronado.
Aside from building the Navy-Marine Corps relationship, Pacific Horizon also offered valuable training to the service members, explained Lotempio, 21, from Tulsa, Okla. "(This training exercise) helps simulate the best. We have everybody out here training, doing what they need to be doing, learning their job. You don't really learn how to do anything until you get your hands dirty."
For 234 years, Marines and Sailors have been working together to accomplish the mission, building that strong Navy-Marine Corps partnership.
"It's important for (Marines and Sailors) to work together because we compliment each other," said Seaman Justin Ott, mechanic with Beach Master Unit 1, NAB Coronado. "We do it one way, the Marines do it another way, and when we combine them, we can be more efficient."
The Navy-Marine Corps partnership is essential, said Ott, 21, from Modesto, Calif. "Our main job is to bring the Marines to the fight safely, while the Marines fight and provide protection and security at the beach for us."
The Navy-Marine Corps partnership allows Marines to get wherever they are needed around the world, whether it's combat or humanitarian assistance operations.
| Date Taken: | 10.16.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 10.16.2009 18:36 |
| Story ID: | 40256 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 443 |
| Downloads: | 354 |
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