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HMM268( REI N)
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HMM268a ndt he11t hMa r i ne E x pediona r yUni t
Thedoc t r i neoft heUSMar i neCor psi sf oundedont hedepl oy mentofamul t i f ac et edt as k f or c e,c apabl eofc onduc t i ngawi dev ar i et yofoper at i ons .Thi sf or c er out i nel yt ak est hef or m ofa Mar i ne Ex pedi t i onar y Uni t( MEU) .Cont i nui ng GAR' ss er i es aboutUS Mar i ne Cor ps ai r power ,PaulDunnj our ney st oCampPendl et on,Cal i f or ni a,t ov i s i tHMM268( REI N)ast he ' RedDr agons 'pr epar et oembar kont hei rf i r s tMEUdepl oy menti nadec ade. I ' v edr i v en al ongt heI 5f r om L osAngel est oSan Di egomanyt i mesov ert hel as tc oupl eofy ear s .The r oad s k i r t st he Cal i f or ni ac oas t l i ne and pas s est he edgeoft hemas s i v eUSMar i neCor psbas eatCamp Pendl et on.Ev er yt i meIdr i v epas tt her es eemst obe s omet hi ngi nt er es t i nghappeni ngwi t hi nv i ew oft he r oad,be i tar mour ed v ehi c l esmanoeuv r i ng i nt he f i el ds ,hel i c opt er spi c k i ng up t r oopsoroc c as i onal gl i mps es oft he Nav y ' sL CAC hov er c r af t on t he s hor el i ne.ForCampPendl et oni samas s i v emi l i t ar y i ns t al l at i onc ov er i ng125, 000ac r eswhi c hpr ov i desa bas ef ort hebul kofIMar i neEx pedi t i onar yFor c e( I MEF) ,t hepar entuni tofmos tUSMC as s et sont he Wes tCoas t .Ass uc h,i ti shomet ot hef ul ls pec t r um ofMar i neCor psas s et s ,i nc l udi ngi nf ant r y ,ar t i l l er y , ar mour eduni t sandamphi bi ousv ehi c l es . I n addi t i on,t her ei s an ai rs t at i on ( MCAS Camp Pendl et on,al s ok nown asMunn Fi el d) ,homet oa t ot alofni nes quadr onsofhel i c opt er s .Al loft hes e uni t sar eas s i gnedt oMAG39,oneoft hef our
CH46Es on t he HMM268 f l i ghtl i ne atMCAS Camp Pendl et on
c omponentuni t soft he 3r d Mar i ne Ai r c r af tWi ng. Al ong wi t h MAG16,MAG39 pr ov i desr ot ar y wi ng as s aul ts uppor tf or I MEF.Today I am v i s i t i ng MAG39 t os ee how t he end ofOper at i on I r aqi Fr eedom hasaf f ec t edt heoper at i onsofoneofi t s c omponentuni t si npar t i c ul ar .
Mor eGl obalAvi at i onRes our c e ar t i cl eson t heUS Mar i neCor ps
Themi ght yCH53Epr ovi desheavyl i f tcapabi l i t yf ort heMEU.Nor mal l yassi gnedt oHMM462atMi r amar ,t hi si s oneoff oursuchai r cr af tf or mi ngpar tofHMM268( REI N)
The maj or i t y of t he Gr oup' s s quadr ons ar e des i gnat ed HML A( Mar i neL i ghtAt t ac kHel i c opt er ) and oper at ev er s i onsoft he Bel lAH1 and UH1. Mos toft hes es quadr ons ar ei nt he pr oc es s of upgr adi ng f r om t he UH1N Huey and AH1W Super c obr at ot heUH1YVi perandAH1ZVenom r es pec t i v el y ,amov ewhi c hr epr es ent sahuges t ep upi nc apabi l i t yf ort hel i ghtat t ac kc ommuni t y . The AH1Z i st he l at es tv er s i on of an at t ac k hel i c opt er whi c h has bec ome a Mar i ne Cor ps s t al war ts i nc eear l yv er s i onsent er eds er v i c ei nt he ear l y1970s .Thec ur r entAH1W Super c obr af l eet wasdel i v er edi nt he1980sandhass eenpl ent yof ac t i ons i nc e,bei ngi nv ol v edi nev er yc onf l i c tt hatt he Mar i neCor pshast ak enpar ti ndur i ngt hatper i od. Wheni tc amet or epl ac i ngt hef l eet ,des pi t es ome i nt er es ti nanav al i s edApac he,i twasdec i dedt hat t hebes topt i onwast opr oc ur eanupgr adedv er s i on oft heAH1,t er medt heAH1Z. The mos tc ons pi c uous c hange f r om t he or i gi nal AH1i sanew f ourbl adedr ot orandt r ans mi s s i on s y s t em.The new s y s t em hasf ewerpar t sand i s madef r om c ompos i t emat er i al s ,r es ul t i ngi nbet t er per f or manc e,l es sv i br at i on and a l owerac ous t i c s i gnat ur e.L es sobv i ousar ehugei mpr ov ement si n t heav i oni c si nc l udi ng amuc h enhanc ed t ar get i ng s y s t em and hel metmount ed di s pl ay s .The AH1Z wasdec l ar edc ombatr eadyi nSept ember2010wi t h t hef l eett oc ons i s tofac ombi nat i onofnew bui l d hel i c opt er s and AH1Ws upgr aded t ot he new s t andar d.
The AH1W Super cobr ai s a Mar i ne Cor ps l egend, cur r ent l ybei ngr epl acedbyt heupgr adedAH1Z Vi per . Thi sSuper cobr ai sf r om HMLA369Gunf i ght er s
When HMM268( REI N)set soutwi t ht he 11t h MEU,i t wi l lmar kt hef i r stdepl oymentoft heAH1Z Vi per
I npar al l el t ot heAH1Zdev el opment ,t heCor psal s o l aunc hedapr ogr am t oupgr adet heUH1Nf l eett oa s i mi l ars t andar d.Thenew modeli st heUH1Yand f eat ur ess i mi l arupgr adedengi nes ,t r ans mi s s i onand f our bl aded c ompos i t er ot or s .I mpr ov ement si n av i oni c s and s y s t ems hav e al s o been pr ov i ded. Al t houghi nt endedt obeanupgr adepac k aget ot he UH1N,t hedec i s i onwast ak eni n2005t odel i v ert he f l eetasnew bui l dhel i c opt er s .Ther es ul ti saf as t er , l onger r angedhel i c opt erwi t hamuc hgr eat erl oad c ar r y i ngc apabi l i t yandf i r epower .
s quadr onsatCamp Pendl et on r emai nv er ybus y , wi t hHMMT164' Kni ght r i der s 's t i l lac t i v el yengaged i n t r ai ni ng new Phr og ai r c r ew. Al ongs i de HMMT164,t het wooper at i onalCH46s quadr ons ar eHMM268' RedDr agons 'andHMM364' Pur pl e Fox es ' .Wi t ht heOs pr eys quadr onsatMi r amaronl y nowr eac hi ngf ul loper at i onalc apabi l i t y ,t hebur den ofs uppor t i ngex pedi t i onar yoper at i onshasf al l ent o t hes er emai ni ng CH46 s quadr ons ( al ong wi t h HMM163 ' Ri dge Runner s ' at MCAS Mi r amar , c ur r ent l ydepl oy edaspar toft he13t hMEU) .
I naddi t i ont ot heHML As quadr ons ,t her ear eal s o t hr eeHMM ( Mar i neMedi um Hel i c opt er )s quadr ons f l y i ng t he v ener abl e CH46 Sea Kni ght , mor e c ommonl yk nown ast he" Phr og" .TheCH46 has s er v edt heMar i nesadmi r abl yf orov erf or t yy ear s andi snow ent er i ngt hef i nalphas eofi t si l l us t r i ous c ar eer ,wi t hi t sr epl ac ement ,t heBel l Boei ngMV22B Os pr ey , ent er i ng s er v i c e i n ev er i nc r eas i ng number s .
Att he c or e ofUS Mar i ne Cor psdoc t r i ne i st he MAGTF( Mar i neAi rGr ound Tas kFor c e)c onc ept . TheMAGTFr epr es ent sac ombi nedar mst as kf or c e, undera s i ngl ec ommander ,whi c hi ss t r uc t ur ed t owar dsas pec i f i cmi s s i on.AnyMAGTFwi l lc ons i s t off ourel ement s :t heCommandEl ement( CE) ;t he Gr ound CombatEl ement( GCE) ;t he Ai rCombat El ement( ACE)andt heL ogi s t i c sCombatEl ement ( L CE) .Whi l s tt het as kf or c ewi l lal way sc ons i s tof t hes ef ourel ement s ,t hes i z eandc ompos i t i onwi l l v ar yac c or di ngt ot het as k .
Des pi t et he dec l i ne i nt he f l eet ,t he t hr ee CH46
TheUH1N Hueyi sanot herUSMC st al war tt hati scur r ent l ybei ngr epl acedbyanupgr adedmodel ,i n t hi scaset heUH1YVenom
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Lef t-Oneoft hemanyexampl esofmemor abi l i af r om numer ousOper at i on I r aqiFr eedom depl oyment st obe f oundhangi ngi nHMM268’ shomef aci l i t y Above -AsHMM268( REI N) ' scor et ype,t he CH46E Sea Kni ght( orPhr og)i st he mostnumer ous ai r cr af t avai l abl et ot he11t hMEU
Ther e' sar ealbuz zar oundt heRedDr agons 'f ac i l i t y at t he moment . Fr om t he c ommandi ng of f i c er downwar ds t her ei sa f eel i ng ofex c i t ement ,of pr epar i ngf oranew andv er yi mpor t antt as k .When t he11t hMar i neEx pedi t i onar yUni ts et soutl at ert hi s y ear ,HMM268( REI N)wi l lpr ov i de t he Ai rCombat El ementofaMEUf ort hef i r s tt i mes i nc e2001. I ' m f or t unat e enough t o be abl et o geta f ew moment s wi t h L t Col Chad Bl ai r , HMM268' s ommandi ngof f i c erandhi sent hus i as mf ort het as k A MAGTF c an v ar yi ns i z ef r om a f ul lMar i ne c sobv i ous . Ex pedi t i onar y For c e ( MEF) down t o a Mar i ne athandi Ex pedi t i onar y Uni t( MEU) ,t he s mal l es tt as kf or c e I ' m ex c i t edt obr agaboutours quadr onandal s ot he whi c hc an be depl oy ed f orgener aloper at i ons-a " hMEU!Thewayt hatt heCH46s quadr onshav e s mal l erf or c emaybedepl oy edonoc c as i on,buts uc h 11t i gned s i nc e OI Fi st hatt her e woul d be a af or c e woul d be mor es pec i al i s ed f orone r ol ei n been al s t andi ng r equi r ement t os uppor t OI F wi t ht he par t i c ul ar . CASEVAC( CASual t yEVACuat i on)mi s s i on.TheCH46 ,and i s ,t he bes tpl at f or mf orCASEVAC -i t ' s Si nc e 2003,USMC r es our c eshav e been i nev i t abl y was ov edi t s el fi nVi et nam andI r aqi nt hatmi s s i on.I n f oc us edonOper at i onI r aqiFr eedom ( OI F) .Thi shas pr er msoft he i ns t i t ut i on oft he Mar i ne Cor psand l edt os omeuni t sbei ngmov edawayf r om t r adi t i onal t ac i ngt heMAGTFc onc ept ,t heMEUi sourbr ead MEUdepl oy ment si nor dert of oc ust hei rener gyand embr a n d b u t t e r . ex per t i s e on t he c onf l i c ti nI r aq.One s uc h uni ti s HMM268' RedDr agons ' ,whi c hi st hef oc usofmy " So,wededi c at edt hr ee' 46s quadr onsont hewes t v i s i tt oday . c oas tt odot hes t andi ngCASEVACi nI r aqwhi l et he hert hr eec ont i nuedt odot heMEUc y c l e.Ther ear e Onar r i v alatt heHMM268hangar ,I ' m metbyCapt ot t h r e e w e s t c o a s t M E U s s o t h r e e ' 4 6 u n i t s w e r e EdRomagnol i ,aCH46pi l otf r om t hes quadr on.Capt uppor t i ngt hat .Butt hi ss quadr onwasear mar k edas Romagnol ii sf ai r l y new t ot he uni thav i ng been s heOI Fs quadr onss owaspul l edoutoft he as s i gnedt o268f orj us tov eray ear .He' sc ur r ent l ya oneoft x .Sowe' v egotagener at i ongapofnotonl y c opi l otwhowi l lmak et het r ans i t i ont oc ommander MEUmi 46pi l ot sbutal s omar i nesac r os st heboar dr eal l y , s hor t l y .Aswewal kac r os st her ampheex pl ai nsa CHa s t h e M a r i n e C o r p s f o c u s h a s b e e n i n I r a q mo n e y , l i t t l eabouthow t hes quadr on i spr epar i ng f ort he t r ai ni ngandmanpowerhasbeenf oc us edonOI F. c hal l engeswhi c hf ac ei ti nt hec omi ngmont hs .
" So, t her e' s a gener at i onal gap i n ex per i enc e. Ther e' sbeenamuc hs mal l erper c ent agewi t hi nt he i ns t i t ut i on c ommi t t ed t ot heMEU,s owe' r es eei ng t hati nt hes quadr on wher ej us tov er10% ofour mar i nes ,pi l ot s and mai nt ai ner s hav e ex per i enc e wi t hi nt heMEU. " Fr om t hes t ar tofOper at i onI r aqi Fr eedom,HMM268 di s t i ngui s hed i t s el fi n t he CASEVAC r ol e. The s quadr on' sf ac i l i t y atCamp Pendl et on i s ador ned wi t h memor abi l i a and s ouv eni r sf r om pas t OI F depl oy ment s ; one of t he mos t poi gnant i st he " CASEVAC Bel l " , whi c h was r ung t o s i gnal a r equi r ementf ora hel i c opt erand medi c alt eam t o ai r l i f t a wounded s ol di er - an al lt oo c ommon oc c ur r enc edur i ngt hehei ghtoft hei ns ur genc y .
Now OI Fi sof f i c i al l yov erandUSc ombatoper at i ons i nI r aq hav ec eas ed.Thi shasal l owed s quadr ons s uc hasHMM268t ogetbac kt ot hei rr egul arr out i ne bus i nes s ,i nt hi sc as et heMEUc ommi t ment-ev eni f aMEUdepl oy menti sany t hi ngbutr out i ne! Ther ear et hr eeMEUsas s i gnedt ot heWes tCoas t .At any one t i me,one wi l lbe depl oy ed,one wi l lbe wor k i ngupf ordepl oy mentandonewi l lber es t i ng andr eequi ppi ngf ol l owi ngadepl oy ment .Cur r ent l y HMM268i si nt hewor k upphas easCaptRomagnol i ex pl ai ns . " Onc et heydec i dewhi c huni t sar egoi ngont heMEU, t heHMM ( ori ndeedt heVMM i nt hec as eofOs pr ey uni t s )bec omest hec or eoft heAv i at i onCombat
The UH1Y Venom of f er s consi der abl ei mpr ovement s overt he UH1N and shar es much commonal i t y wi t ht he AH1Z.Thi sexampl ei sf r om HMLA367Scar f ace,whowi l lpr ovi det hel i ghtat t ackcomponentofHMM268( REI N)
El ement ( ACE) and ot her s quadr ons wi l lat t ac h el ement st ot heHMM.Soweendedupget t i ngt hr ee Yank ees( UH1Ys )and f ourZul us( AH1Zs )f r om HML A367 ' Sc ar f ac e' ,who ar e bas ed down t he f l i ght l i ne her e and f our CH53s f r om HMH462 ' Heav yHaul er s 'atMi r amar .
wi t ht hes uf f i xmeani ng' r ei nf or c ed' .Aswel last he addi t i onalhel i c opt er s ,anumberofAV8BHar r i er s ar e al s o as s i gned t ot he ACE.t he Har r i er s wi l l r emai nbas edatYumaunt i lt heMEU depl oy sont o t heboat ,butar es t i l labl et ot ak epar ti nt hewor k up f r om t her e.
" Thent heydec i deona' c hopdat e'whi c hi swhen y oudet ac hf r om t heai rgr oupandat t ac ht ot heMEU andt hatdat ei swhent heot herel ement sc omet o t hes quadr on.I nt hi sc as ei twasMay2ndwhenwe pi c k edupt heCH53sandt he' s k i ds ' ( i eUH1/ AH1s ) andy oual s ogetot herdet ac hment sf r om t hec ont r ol gr oupet c . "
Thewor k upphas ei sduet ol as tappr ox i mat el ys i x mont hs bef or et he enl ar ged s quadr on begi ns i t s depl oy mental ongs i det heot herc ombatel ement sof t he11t hMEU.Thi spr edepl oy mentphas ei sv i t alt o bui l di ngupt eamwor kandunder s t andi ng,notj us t bet weent hedi f f er entel ement swi t hi nt hes quadr on but bet ween al lt he el ement s of t he MEU, emphas i s i ng t he uni que c apabi l i t y oft he Mar i ne Cor pst or ai s eadi v er s eands el fc ont ai nedf or c e.
Att hi spoi ntHMM268bec ameHMM268( REI N) ,
L tColBl ai rs peak sasav et er anoff i v epr ev i ousMEU depl oy ment s ,oneoft hemi nor i t yont hes quadr on whohav eex per i enc ei nper f or mi ngt hemi s s i on. " I t ' sex c i t i ngf orus ,t hef ew t hathav ebeenont he MEU t o be t eac hi ng and educ at i ng t he nex t gener at i ononwhati t ' sal labout .I ' v egotmar i neson t he s quadr on who ar et hr ee t i mes c ombatv et s who' v enev erbeenoutont heMEUy et . " Bec aus ewear eal lv er yc ons c i ousoft hat ,wet al k abouti tandhav eex t r at r ai ni ngc l as s ess owe' r ev er y wel lpr epar ed.Tr ai ni ngwehav ebutwhatwedon' t hav ey eti st heex per i enc e.Howev er ,It hi nkt hatwe ar e c ompens at i ng wel l by r ec ogni s i ng s ome weak nes s esandf i l l i ngt hos ev oi dswi t ht r ai ni ng. " The Red Dr agons hav e a di s t i ngui s hed hi s t or y , hav i ngs t ar t edoutasHML 268oper at i ngt heUH1 dur i ng t he Vi et nam War . Af t er a per i od of di s bandment i n t he l at e 1970s t he s quadr on r ef or med as HMM268 on t he CH46 i n 1979. Amongs tot hermi s s i ons ,HMM268 pi oneer ed t he i nt r oduc t i onofNi ghtVi s i onGoggl es( NVGs )andt he uni tal s os aw ac t i ondur i ngOper at i onDes er tSt or m i n1991.
Asf orHMM268' sas s oc i at i onwi t ht heCH46,t he endmaynoty etbei ns i ght ,buti tal mos tc er t ai nl y l i esj us tov ert hehor i z on.Thes quadr oni ss c hedul ed t o do atl eas tone f ur t herMEU depl oy mentand pos s i bl yat hi r d-i ti sl i k el yt obet hef i nal Fl eetCH46 s quadr on,al t hought heai r c r af twi l lc ont i nuef ora whi l el ongeri nt hehandsofr es er v euni t sHMM764 andHMM774. Fornow t hough,t he s quadr on i s embr ac i ng i t s r et ur nt oMar i neex pedi t i onar yoper at i onswi t hgr eat gus t o and ant i c i pat i on.L tColBl ai rs ums up hi s f eel i ngst hus :
" We' r er et ur ni ngt oourc ul t ur eandI ' m happyt obe att hehel mf ort hi snew c hapt eri nt hes quadr on' s hi s t or y . " Af t ert het r i umphsandt r aumasofOI F,t her et ur nt o t heMEUc y c l er epr es ent st hec l os i ngofac hapt erof hi s t or y bot hf orHMM268 and f ort he US Mar i ne Cor psasawhol e.Ar et ur nt opr ov i di ngadepl oy ed r api dr eac t i onf or c er eadyt odealwi t hawi dev ar i et y ofc ont i ngenc i eswhi l e att he s ame t i me pr ov i di ng s t abi l i t yands t r engt heni ngl i nk swi t hf r i endl ynat i ons i nt her egi on.I not herwor ds ,ar et ur nt ot hebus i nes s ofbei ngMar i nes . Theaut horwoul dl i ket ot hankt heof f i cer sand Mar i nes of HMM268( REI N) ( i n par t i cul ar Commandi ngOf f i cerLtColChadBl ai randCapt EdRomagnol i )andal so1stLtMaur eenDool ey andSgtDer ekCar l son f r om t heMi r amarPAO f ort hei rt i meandassi st ancei npr epar i ngt hi s ar t i cl e.
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