Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Gwyneth Vandevender | 210810-N-VM474-1096 JACKSONVILLE, North Carolina (Aug. 10, 2021) Seaman Apprentice...... read more read more
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Marines assigned to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) reintegrated with Sailors aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) after two years since their last deployment together to support Large Scale Exercise (LSE) 2021 Aug. 3-14, 2021.
“During LSE 2021 we’ve primarily been involved in some of the planning, exercises and injects,” said Capt. Christopher Marion, the anti-terrorism force protection officer assigned to the 22nd MEU. “We’ve also been making sure that our Landing Force Operation Center (LFOC) and watch officers are up to speed.”
The Marines utilized landing craft, air cushions (LCAC) attached to ACU 4, an integral aspect of amphibious operations, for troop and equipment transportation; performing numerous beach landings, on-loading and off-loading equipment and personnel resulting in training for both LCAC crews and Marines.
“The Marines rely on us to get them out to the ship or to the shore,” said, Master Chief Machinist Mate Eric Levick, LCAC craft master assigned to ACU 4. “We can get them there quickly so they can go do their thing, and when they’re done, they call us and we bring them back to the ship.”
Once the Marines landed on the beach they trained on forward operating procedures and established communications with Kearsarge as they would in a real-world scenario.
“On the beach we’re setting up our forward command operating center, and we’re working through processes, getting our networks and systems up to make sure we have communications back to Kearsarge and the LFOC,” said Marion. “In addition to that we have multiple units that are spread out and set up at other locations that are working on similar processes to be able to communicate with us and the ship.”
LSE 2021 marks the first time Sailors and Marines have integrated aboard Kearsarge since its last deployment in 2019, making it a major stepping stone in the process of getting Kearsarge and the 22nd MEU ready for deployment next year.
“I think it’s important for the Marines here to get exposure to the Navy, exposure to being on a ship and to get an idea of what ship life is like,” said Marion. “This exercise has been a tremendous opportunity we normally wouldn’t have to be able to get a first rep in being integrated with the Navy. I think it’s really going to set us up for success down the road.”
Integration will continue to be a focus point for Kearsarge, the 22nd MEU and ACU 4 in future training exercises leading into deployment.
LSE 2021 demonstrated the Navy's ability to employ precise, lethal, and overwhelming force globally across three naval component commands, five numbered fleets, and 17 time zones. LSE 2021 merged live and synthetic training capabilities to create an intense, robust training environment. It connected high-fidelity training and real-world operations, to build knowledge and skills needed in today's complex, multi-domain and contested environment.
| Date Taken: | 08.15.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 08.20.2021 07:18 |
| Story ID: | 403582 |
| Location: | ATLANTIC OCEAN |
| Web Views: | 103 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Kearsarge Strengthens “Corps” Muscles for LSE 2021, by PO2 Jesse Schwab, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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