VAERNES, Norway -- U.S. Marines with II Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group (MIG) set up an expeditionary command and control suite on Vaernes Air Base, Norway, during Exercise Trident Juncture 18, Nov. 2, 2018. Trident Juncture 18 enhances the U.S. and NATO Allies’ and partners’ abilities to work together collectively to conduct military operations under challenging conditions.
This training demonstrates the capability to raise a small command and control center up in a very rapid and expeditionary manner, in response to operational requirements, so that commanders can move with the battle.
“Having the ability to do something like this where we are expeditionary in nature and we can move it around in the battle space as the commander sees fit,” says Master Sgt. Douglas Wittenborn with II MIG. “It gives us the ability to counter some of the threats.”
This equipment is important due to the ability to provide a high degree of survivability in a contested environment.
“Being this far north, communications are a challenge with: the weather, the environment, the terrain,” says Wittenborn, “We don’t always get an opportunity to train here, especially with Allied and partner nations that have the experience in this type of weather. This is a chance to work through those things and figure out how to master it, so next time we can do it with no mistakes.”
With proper training, Marines overcame the challenges that came with conducting military operations in unique terrain, and successfully completed the expeditionary command and control center.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got to communicate,” says Wittenborn. “We’ve got to be able to communicate with our adjacent units.”
II Marine Expeditionary Force Support Battalion provided the infrastructure to facilitate rapid deployment of Marine Air-Ground Task Force capabilities and prove that communications were essential for the success of Trident Juncture 18. Marines’ ability to quickly assemble the expeditionary suites demonstrates the mobility and capability of the Marine Corps units to conduct operations in any clime and place.