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GLOBE Serving Camp Lejeune and surrounding areas since 1944
THURSDAY MAY 10, 20 2012
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VOLUME 74 EDITION 19 TREK NAWA, AFGHANISTAN
Through dust, heat, ANA lead operation to success CPL. TIMOTHY LENZO 1st Marine Division (Forward)
The people in Trek Nawa, an area between the Marjah and Nawa District, were witnesses to an unusual sight April 23 through 26. The Afghan National Army dispatched about 190 soldiers from various tolais within 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, to areas throughout the expanding landscape. During this maneuver, Marines with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment partnered with the kandak to clear the area during the Afghan-led Operation High Noon 15. To reach their objectives, Afghan soldiers with their Marine counterparts often hiked through a range of open, dry, dusty ground to lush green fields in knee-high plants. During the operation, three Afghan tolais patrolled from north to south, clearing the area, while searching for weapon caches and improvised explosive devices. A fourth tolai supported the operation by blocking the escape routes of possible insurgents. “The Marines’ role in the operation was a supporting one,” said ANA 1st Sgt. Mubarak, the operations first sergeant with the kandak. A Marine platoon accompanied each tolai during the operation, providing extra firepower, and logistical support. “Our mission was to follow and support,” said 1st. Lt. Joseph Hoeksema, a pla-
Photo by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo
Lance Cpl. Brandon Debruler, a squad automatic weapon gunner with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, hands bottled water to Afghan children during a partnered patrol, April 26. toon commander with Weapons Company. “I helped if they needed it, but it was an ANA-led operation.” Hoeksema’s platoon accompanied the Weapons tolai during the operation. “(The ANA) planned the patrols, searched the houses and talked to the local people,” said 1st Lt. Qeyashkhan, the executive officer with Weapons tolai. After several hours of
clearing the northern part of the area, Qeyashkhan decided to establish a temporary patrol base in a local compound. Marines and Afghan soldiers soaked in sweat, from the intense heat of an unfiltered Afghan sun, as they set up their command center, security posts and radios. They had hiked about eight miles before they reached their resting point. “It was really hot and we
were running low on water,” said Qeyashkhan. The first priority was getting resupplied with water and food for the next couple days. The ANA established their patrol base near a major road that provided Afghan resupply trucks easy access to the soldiers. They chose roads that their route clearing patrols could drive through. Route clearing vehicles are specially equipped trucks de-
ar IEDs signed to find and clear so others can drive safely on the road. “Some routes are too narrow to get our trucks through so we worked with the Embedded Training Team to find the routes we could go through,” said Mubarak. The logistics of getting supplies to the patrol bases and the communication between different tolais was a focus prior to the operation.
“Operationally, they are ready to fight, ready to go out there, and I think they do a pretty good job,” said Capt. Stephen Walker, the operations adviser with the ETT. Walker added that they also did a great job getting supplies to the troops and coordinating with each other. On day two of the operation the tolais conducted SEE SUCCESS 3A
CLB-2 field exercise combines realistic, efficient training CPL. KATHERINE M. SOLANO 2nd Marine Logistics Group
Marines and sailors with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group conducted a field exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, April 25 through 30. The battalion completed the exercise in preparation for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan in late 2012. In addition to the usual pre-deployment requirements, such as improvised explosive device detection classes and health screenings, the battalion has banded together to conduct extensive field exercises coupled with annual training. Every Marine in the Corps must complete weapons training, swim qualification and continued education per yearly requirements. CLB-2 has organized a way to include some of those elements in their field exercises. “The whole purpose of this battalion FEX is for us to ensure that each Marine within the battalion is properly trained, properly prepared and ready to perform in INSIDE THE GLOBE country,” said 1st Sgt. Dawn Adams, first sergeant of Transportation Support Company, CLB-2. The inclusion of the annual training
with the pre-deployment work-ups is an improvement over past exercises, according to some of the Marines involved. “It’s a much more efficient and realistic way to conduct annual training requirements,” stated 2nd Lt. Andrew Schlottman, a platoon commander with TS Company, CLB-2. He explained how, in one day, half of the battalion completed a combat marksmanship range and casualty evacuation training, immediately followed by gas chamber training. He said the fast pace was not only realistic compared to a combat environment but also “a way to keep the Marines busy in the field and a way to keep the level of training and the level of engagement high.” The battalion has been training for the upcoming deployment for the past year. Each exercise builds on itself, becoming more complex, realistic and advanced. The unit spent previous exercises learning fundamentals of convoys and combat operations, mastering the basics of their respective occupations and learning about other jobs within the unit. “We are wrapping up the fundamentals into more complicated scenarios, more complicated convoys,” Schlottman began. “It’s time for our Marines to move on, move beyond the basics and actually start doing realistic training as if they were in Afghanistan … as if we were 100 percent ready to deploy today.” Adams agreed, saying, “The Marines and sailors have been training as they intend on deploying. CLB-2 takes pride in everything they do.”
Photo by Cpl. Katherine M. Solano
Lance Cpl. Kristin Plant, a motor transport operator with Transportation Support Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, offloads a Logistics Vehicle System Replacement truck during a battalion field exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, recently.
Marines keep safety first during fire, maneuver CPL. JOSHUA HINES
Africa Partnership Station 12
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Marines are known for their unequaled proficiency in combat, no matter the clime or place. However, such combat expertise could have never been gained without keeping safety first during the rigorous training the Marines conduct on a daily basis in order to maintain their unequaled proficiency. Keeping safety first is exactly what the Marines with rifle platoon, Security Cooperation Task Force, Africa Partnership Station 2012, did as they conducted their squad-sized fire and maneuver training aboard Marine
Corps Base Camp Lejeune, May 4. The Marines were gathered together before the training began at which time individuals were called upon by the range safety officer to demonstrate the four weapon safety rules and weapon conditions. The RSO also explained the motto well known to Marines, “every Marine is a safety officer,” meaning that at any time during the range if a Marine witnesses anything that they feel is unsafe they can immediately call a cease fire. “Safety is paramount to the training,” Petty Officer 3rd class David Kovach, corpsman, ground combat element of SCTF,
APS-12 said. “If people think they’re going to get hurt during training, then they’ll be afraid to train to their utmost ability.” Marines began the fire and maneuver training as though they were on a normal patrol until they received enemy contact. The Marines then charge toward the enemy side-by-side using buddy rush tactics until they have suppressed the enemy force. “Safety is the biggest thing on a range like this, because we’re actually shooting right next to each other while running down the range,” Cpl. James Roy, radio operator, rifle platoon, SCTF, APS-12, said. “You just can’t stress safety enough.”