Photo By Sgt. Justin Updegraff | A Marine with Combat Logistics Battalion 26, Headquarters Regiment, 2nd Marine...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – On July 26, 2014, two dozen Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response departed Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy. With violent clashes between militias in the Libyan capital of Tripoli threatening the U.S. Embassy, the Marines lent their support to ensure the security of approximately 150 personnel, who were evacuated from the area without incident.
Marine units such as SP-MAGTF Crisis Response are forward deployed to respond swiftly and aggressively in times of crisis. Preparedness, however, takes practice.
As they approach their own upcoming deployment, Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 26, Headquarters Regiment, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, currently attached to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, set that practice into motion during their mock humanitarian aid, embassy evacuation and general readiness training at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Sept. 16 through 26.
“This unique mission that we’ll be doing,” said 1st Lt. Elizabeth Eichler, the engineer detachment commander with CLB-26. “Every time we go out, [we’re] making it a little harder … with more focus on more people and really becoming experts.”
To remain ready and meet the challenges associated with embassy evacuation and security operations, the Marines set up an evacuation control center. The center allowed the unit to test its non-combatant evacuation operations.
At the center, Marines added evacuees’ names to a roaster and processed them for transportation. They recorded information about each person, which allowed the unit to track the operations’ progress and ensure logistical support was in place to expedite the movement of personnel.
The service members also provided security at the center, ensuring the evacuation process occurred in a safe and orderly manner. They searched individuals for any contraband that could pose a threat to the operation before moving the evacuees to a pre-designated area and securing their transportation to safety.
“You’ll conduct an [evacuation control center] when you’re evacuating an embassy or American citizens in a country,” said 1st Lt. Noel Bulger, a logistics officer with the battalion. “It’s one of the things that the MEU brings to the fight – we can evacuate embassies.”
The Marines also conducted humanitarian aid and disaster relief exercises, another capability they may need during their deployment. Their aid and relief abilities will allow the Marines to assist victims of natural disasters by providing logistical support in the form of shelter, purified water and food.
That standard of readiness and preparation already proved vital here in the United States, when Marines based out of Camp Lejeune assisted areas devastated by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. As CLB-26 continues to move toward its deployment date, the unit will conduct further training exercises designed to test and improve the battalion’s ability to respond to crisis situations.
| Date Taken: | 10.03.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 10.03.2014 14:15 |
| Story ID: | 144208 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 85 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Vigilance and Readiness: CLB-26 conducts mock embassy evacuation training, by Sgt Justin Updegraff, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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