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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marines of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit S-2, or intelligence section, began a five-day interoperability exercise July 30, 2012, setting up their intelligence operations center in the field.
“It’s the first time the command element intelligence section and all of its intelligence enablers have a chance to come together and operate as a team,” said Maj. Richard Martin, 26th MEU intelligence officer from Johnson City, Tenn.
“It’s a chance for the entire MEU intelligence section to get together, talk to each other, and show each other what we can do,” said Sgt. Jason Contreras, weather forecaster from Pittsburgh.
“We have the range of our intelligence capabilities out here working together,” said Martin.
The predeployment training program exercise consisted of executing basic procedures such as setting up tents and establishing connectivity, before moving into more advanced matters, like going through operating methods for intelligence collection and reporting.
“It’s a great opportunity for the intelligence section to get out in the field environment on their own, so we get rid of some of the speed bumps we’d normally encounter on the first PTP exercise,” said Martin.
With this training, the section is being proactive in unifying its assets into one, efficient, intelligence-gathering capability for the MEU.
“We’re bringing the entire S-2 – our radio battalion guys, our counterintelligence/human intelligence detachment, all of our different intelligence disciplines – together into one geographical location,” said Lance Cpl. Barry Weddle, an all-source analyst from Niles, Mich.
The exercise also serves another purpose, said Contreras. “It helps to build unit cohesion. It gives you a chance to meet who you’re going to be working with and who you’re going to be supporting.”
With this, it also gives the Marines who have taken a lap around the block a time or two – who have deployed with the MEU or otherwise – the chance to pass some of their accumulated wisdom on to the newer Marines.
“For the younger ones, it gives them an understanding of the pressures coming up, and how to prepare their families for predeployment and deployment,” said Contreras.
In the end, the S-2 will go back into the predeployment cycle better prepared and more confident in their abilities, said Martin.
“A big key for success is what we’re doing out here right now – training early and training often. I think that’s going to set us up for success.”
| Date Taken: | 08.07.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 08.07.2012 18:01 |
| Story ID: | 92821 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE, US |
| Hometown: | NILES, MICHIGAN, US |
| Hometown: | PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Training preparation improves training effectiveness for intelligence Marines, by Cpl Michael Lockett, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
