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Friday, November 22, 2013 Vol. 48, No. 46 Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C.
Kilo Company graduates Page 15
“The noise you hear is the sound of freedom.”
n Entertainment n News Briefs n Weather n Around The Corps n In The Community n Graduates
2 3 3 10 12 15
Drawdown and promotion Page 7
Unlocking suicide: prevention is key Page 8
Iraq native flees, becomes Marine Page 12
MACS-2 performs mobile team training
Cpl. Brady Wood Staff Writer
Marine Air Control Squadron 2, Detachment A, conducted training with the Marine Air Traffic Control Mobile Team aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Nov. 12. In order to prepare Marines for operations, the detachment used the Air Station runways to set up an Assault Landing Zone and issue radio calls to participating C-130’s from the Georgia Air National Guard 165th Airlift Wing. “The primary objective for this training is for us to setup an expeditionary airfield,” said Gunnery Sgt. Jeremy Goco, the MMT leader for MACS-2, Detachment A. “This allows us to recover C-130 operations. If we are in an austere environment we need to provide chow or any other gear Marines need.” Expeditionary airfields are intended to be quickly setup for temporary use in unforgiving environments. The mission of the exercise was to train Marines in the employment of air traffic control services for Assault Landing Zones. “As a six-man team we need to be as efficient as possible,” said Goco. “We have to make as little noise as possible, and that’s one thing this training helps with. The low noise level is to teach the Marines that the less noise they make, the less likely they would reveal their location. This also helps us create better communication with other squadrons.” The commander’s intent was for the six-man team to learn what each specialty would bring to the table. “The key aspect that I want the Marines to take away from this exercise is teamwork [and] communication,” said Goco. “They will also be learning how to take the information that they are gaining from the pilot’s approaches, and how they can reference that information back to him.” The exercise didn’t just teach the Marines communications; air traffic controllers were also introduced to the physical aspect of their job. “This introduced me to how important it is to work with Marines in other Military Occupational Specialty fields in order to accomplish a mission,” said Sgt. Rafael Nepaulsingh, an air traffic controller for MACS-2. “In an exercise like this it’s important to see what the communications and the technician Marines do for the sake of the mission.” Several months prior to deploying, units around the Marine Corps perform various training exercises with other MOS fields to prepare them for what lies ahead. see
Macs-2, page 6
Photo by Cpl. Sarah Cherry Marines with Marine Air Control Squadron 2 Detachment A account for gear at the end of training with Marine Air Traffic Control Mobile Team. The lights, used as visual indicators of the landing area, can be controlled manually or by remote, and have different color settings and an infrared setting. The training helps Marines perfect the skills necessary to set up temporary airfields in unforgiving environments.
VCLO implemented to preserve victim’s rights Lance Cpl. Brendan Roethel Staff Writer
To support victims of sexual assault and other crimes, the Marine Corps has put in place the Victims’ Legal Counsel Organization. The VLCO’s implementation is detailed in Marine administrative message 583/13, which took effect, Nov. 1. The organization will provide legal advice and
representation to victims to help protect their rights at all stages of the military justice process. VLCO services will supplement, not replace, other victim services such as the Family Advocacy Program, the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program, Uniformed Victim Advocates, and other services. Victims’ legal counsel see
Photo by Cpl. Rubin J. Tan Tri-Command Marines gathered to participate in the Parris Island Intramural Rifle and Pistol Competition at the Weapons and Field Training Battalion aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, Nov. 16.
Cash or benefits? Cpl. Brady Wood Staff Writer
Parris Island Intramural Rifle and Pistol Competition Lance Cpl. Brendan Roethel Staff Writer
Tri-Command Marines gathered to participate in the Parris Island Intramural Rifle and Pistol Competition at the Weapons and Field Training Battalion aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Par-
ris Island, Nov. 16. According to a Depot bulletin, the competition is held annually to “promote increased proficiency in the use of individual arms” and to “provide the foundation for Corps-wide marksmanship proficiency and enhanced combat readiness.”
“The intramurals are all about continuing the reinforcement of marksmanship,” said Master Sgt. Henry Gonzalez, the training chief for Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. “They also provide Marines with the opportunity to see
Rifle, page 4
Vlco, page 4
Experts told the military compensation and retirement modernization commission that a top priority should be replacing non-cash benefits into immediate cash payments for troops, according to Andrew Tilghman, a staff writer for Military Times. Congress created the
commission earlier this year in response to growing concern that personnel costs, especially for retirement and health care, may threaten the military’s ability to train, equip and sustain the force in an era of declining budgets. The bigger pieces of see
Benefits, page 4