Photo By Capt. Maida Zheng | A hospital corpsman with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group...... read more read more
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CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marines and sailors with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group trained with role players from SpecPro Technical Services with the help of Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group to increase the unit’s readiness before an upcoming deployment for the next rotation of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Africa, at Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue, N.C., June 2014.
Scenarios during the mission readiness exercise replicated most of the key mission requirements the service members would encounter while deployed. The teams initiated their execution of the training with a customs scenario conducted by MCSCG to think through the possible issues of physical entry into a typical African country. Then, the teams were met by a role playing security cooperation officer from the U.S. Embassy of a fictitious country. The role players utilized their foreign language (most French, some Arabic, and some Swahili), which forced an interpreter to be used for communication.
Several medical scenarios were injected in order for the teams to think through how medical emergencies would need to be treated while being far away from a higher headquarters utilizing U.S. Embassy emergency medical support.
The Marines were assessed by MCSCG during the exercise to gauge situational awareness and reactions, and the results were shared with them so they could help the service members prepare for their actual arrival to Africa.
“The training as a whole gets us out of our comfort zone,” said Cpl. Paul Flores, a Moundsville, W. Va., native and combat engineer with the unit. “Having to speak through an interpreter is very helpful because as we’re deploying, that’s what we’re going to have to do. It gives us that initial step in how to actually [train together].”
However, Marines were not the only ones learning during the MRX. The role players from SpecPro, many of whom came to the United States from Africa, took something away from the training as well.
“When we see people go and talk about the military, now we can understand why they do it for their country,” said Thierry Nguema, one of the role players. “We feel it now. Sometimes, [Marines] don’t know why they’re going [overseas] and we’re here to help them understand.”
Marines and sailors with CLB-2 will be tasked with supporting Marine Forces Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command by carrying out theater security cooperation missions in various African countries in order to build partnerships and the capacity to address regional security concerns.
“We came together in the last 60 days and there’s very little you can do to simulate training [with] a foreign security force that doesn’t involve role players and language interpretation with injections of cultural nuances, which you can’t simulate without expertise,” said Capt. Luke Sauber, a TSC team commander. “That’s what MCSCG provides with these role players. They really understand the scenario we’ve been given and they’ve been patient and worked with us when we wanted to adapt and change. [From] top to bottom, it’s the best [training] we’ve had in the couple months we’ve been together.”
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2014 14:25 |
| Story ID: | 133382 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | MOUNDSVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 348 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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