Jet Stream The
Friday, February 12, 2016 Vol. 51, No. 06 Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C.
Charlie and Oscar Company Graduates See Page 09
“The noise you hear is the sound of freedom.” Know the risks: The Zika virus
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Task Force Al Taqaddum: Role of U.S. troops during operations in Anbar Province
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The future is now: 5/11 convoy training goes virtual
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PMO units conduct crisis negotiation training Story and photos by: Lance Cpl. Jonah Lovy Staff Writer
Marines conduct crisis negotiation training aboard Laurel Bay Feb. 4. Military police from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort and Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island are the first responders for security threats aboard either installation or military housing facility. The Marines are with the Provost Marshal’s Office aboard MCAS Beaufort.
MDTC concludes with graduation
Marines with the Provost Marshal’s Office conducted crisis negotiation training aboard Laurel Bay Feb. 4. Elements from the Criminal Investigations Division, Special Reaction Team and Military Policemen stationed aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort participated in the exercise. The training centered on a single individual barricaded in a house on Laurel Bay. The simulation was designed to be as realistic as possible to give the Marines a chance to test their capabilities. “We rehearsed a hostage and barricaded suspect drill.” said Gunnery Sgt. Jermiah Conn, operations chief with PMO. “The scenario began as a domestic disturbance and escalated into a hostage situation. We brought in different units from PMO and canine units for our tactical support. The end result was the suspect surrendering to us.” The training area was controlled by cordoning off a residential area of Laurel Bay and constructing a temporary fence. The barrier ensured that the training site was a controlled environment with no outside elements interfering. see
PMO, page 7
Marine Corps changes promotion criteria for NCO ranks Stor y by: Sgt. Dengrier M. Baez Public Affairs Chief
Effective April 1, lance corporals and corporals must have 12 months timein-grade to be eligible for promotion to the next rank according to Marine administrative message 055/16. The change came from the Marine Corps leadership’s vision for promoting and retaining the most qualified Marines. “We will review our existing servicelevel promotion process, as well as the First and Subsequent Term Alignment Plan processes to ensure we are recognizing and retaining those who possess and exhibit the leadership, talent and skills for the future force. As part of
this process, we will implement a time in grade promotion review process at the unit level, battalion or squadron, for lance corporal to corporal and corporal to sergeant,” said Gen. Robert Neller, Commandant of the Marine Corps in Fragmentary Order 01/2016 released Jan. 19. As it stands now, lance corporals will be promoted on the first day of the quarter if they possess the score and have the eight months in grade at any time throughout the quarter. Corporals are promoted in a similar criterion by possessing the score and having hit the 12 months at any period during the quarter. New quarterly composite scores besee
NCO, page 4
See Pg. 6 Photo by Sgt. Dengrier M. Baez
Col. Robert Cooper, right, presents Capt. John J. Kress with a flight suit patch during the Marine Division Tactics Course 1-16 graduation aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort Feb. 5. The course provided F/A- 18 Hornet aircrew and Marine air intercept controllers with groundside and airborne instruction in doctrine, tactics and weapons considerations for the successful use of Marine fighter attack aircraft in combat. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122, Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401, and Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 are participated in the training. During the ceremony pilots received a certificate of completion and a flight suit patch identifying them as MDTC graduates. Cooper is the commanding officer with Marine Aircraft Group 31 and Kress is a pilot with Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224, Marine Aircraft Group 31.
Photo by Sgt. Dengrier M. Baez
The Marine Corps has released new promotion criteria for lance corporals and corporals looking to rank up in Marine administrative message 055/16 Feb. 4. Effective April 1, lance corporals and corporals must have 12 months time-in-grade to be eligible for promotion to the next rank according to the MARADMIN.