Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Stephen Himes | Cpl. Sal J. Flores drives a 120M motorized road grader Jan. 28 at Range 16 on Camp...... read more read more
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CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa - Standing next to wheels taller than most men, the Marines climb aboard the heavy-equipment machinery that shakes the earth with the start of their engines in sequence.
As the engines bellow, the earth movers slowly transform unsettled ground into drivable roadway.
Heavy-equipment operators with heavy equipment platoon, Support Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, refined their road-making proficiency with several vehicles including the 120M motorized road grader, medium crawler tractor-bulldozer and the 621-G tractor-scraper Jan. 27–31 at Camp Hansen.
9th Engineer Support Battalion is with 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force.
Roads are the lifeline of logistics in combat, according to Chief Warrant Officer Lucan C. Depas, the heavy equipment platoon commanding officer, 9th ESB. Each Marine will spend some time in every machine to provide them with exposure to help the unit be ready to mobilize at a moment's notice.
“They are working on the seven-step military road process,” said Lance Cpl. William L. Moise, a combat engineer with the company. “The process maps out the procedures required to construct a fully operational road.”
The seven-step process allows for the construction of deliberate roads that use quarried materials and are surveyed, staked and designed for long-term use. Alternatively, hasty roads use available materials to repair existing roads and are intended to be temporary. The Marines created hasty roads for this training.
“The construction of the seven-step military road is one of the most important capabilities of a heavy-equipment platoon," said Staff Sgt. Christian J. Keyser, the platoon’s operations chief. “This training enables younger Marines to sharpen and build on their skills while allowing the more senior Marines a chance to pass on their knowledge.”
While the Marines learn the step-by-step techniques and foundational skills at their military occupational school, it is up to the unit to advance those skills and keep them current.
“It’s better to learn how to employ the machinery here (within their unit),” said Depas. “Here with the unit, we can invest time and attention into each individual Marine, so they are fully prepared to operate the machinery in any condition.”
This knowledge will permit the unit to assist more frequently in the future thanks to their continued focus on excellence, according to Keyser.
“By completing this training these Marines will have significantly improved their skills,” said Keyser. “This increased capability will add to the unit and III MEF's ability to mobilize whether in a combat environment or during operations other than war, such as humanitarian missions.”
| Date Taken: | 01.28.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 02.07.2014 00:03 |
| Story ID: | 120248 |
| Location: | CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 128 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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