PTAP Norway 2015

Photo By Cpl. Gabrielle Quire | Cpl. Frank Nata (left) and Lance Cpl. Madelyn E. Smith (right), automotive organizational mechanics for Combat Logistics Battalion 451, Combat Logistics Regiment 45, 4th Marine Logistics Group, Marine Forces Reserve, inspects a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle for an oil leak in Trondheim, Norway, June 25, 2015, during the Personnel Temporary Augmentee Program Norway 2015. CLB-451 deployed to Norway during their two-week annual training period. The detachment divided into multiple sites where equipment is stored in order to facilitate a simultaneous continuous workflow within each military occupational specialty while working with local Norwegian contracted logistics personnel. The program promotes regional security, maintains national interoperability and supports rapid response to crises and contingencies throughout the continents of Europe and Africa by maintaining strategic locations throughout Norway.  

TRONDHEIM, NORWAY

07.01.2015

Story by Cpl. Gabrielle Quire 

Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES)

TRONDHEIM, Norway - The Personnel Temporary Augmentee Program Norway 2015 combined elements of 4th Marine Logistics Group, 4th Marine Division and 4th Marine Aircraft Wing to provide two weeks of maintenance and supply support for the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program located in the Trondheim area of Norway.

MCPP-N is designed to support an expeditionary brigade of roughly 15,000 Marines for 30 days. A series of fortified caves in Norway are stocked with equipment for the Marines; with everything from rations to high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles, kept in a constant state of readiness. By maintaining strategic locations throughout Norway, the program promotes regional security, maintains national interoperability and supports rapid response to crises and contingencies throughout the continents of Europe and Africa.

“The purpose of PTAP Norway for 2015 is to maintain the United States Marine Corps’ gear that is pre-staged in Norway,” said Gunnery Sgt. Damon Hummel, the maintenance chief for Combat Logistics Battalion 451, Combat Logistics Regiment 45, 4th Marine Logistics Group, Marine Forces Reserve. “We maintain and make sure that all the gear here is operationally ready to go wherever the Marine Corps needs it worldwide.”

Over the past decade, MFR has been responsible for organizing and conducting operations for the MCPP-N. MCPP-N was initiated in the late 1980s with Norwegian Defense Logistics Organization/Marine Expeditionary Brigade responsible for equipment upkeep.

MCPP equipment is stored in multiple locations and is available for rapid preparation and assembly at aerial, sea, or rail ports of debarkation in support of deploying Marine Air Ground Task Forces. This forward pre-positioning reduces reaction time and eliminates the need to otherwise deploy this equipment from locations in the continental United States.

This year, CLB-451 took the lead during the exercise, and Reserve Marines received hands-on training in their Military Occupational Specialties. The support CLB-451 provided involved motor transport, supply, chemical biological radiological nuclear defense and heavy equipment.

CLB-451 was deployed to Norway during their two-week annual training. The Marines were divided into separate caves in order to facilitate a simultaneous, continuous workflow within each military occupational specialty, while working with local Norwegian contracted logistics personnel.

“We normally have the same equipment almost every month, doing inventories and limited technical inspections on the same equipment, with no problems from day to day,” said Hummel. “Out here, Marines are seeing multiple pieces of equipment and then potentially seeing corrective maintenance that they actually have to maintain.”

Marines from CLB-451 filled maintenance gaps and provided much needed manpower, and gained not only increased MOS proficiency but also improved interoperability with a host nation.

“The Norwegians are very helpful, they’ll go out of their way to get anything they can done for us,” said Lance Cpl. Kevin Gaber, an automotive organizational mechanic for CLB-451. “We spend the day working with them, listening to their music, learning about their culture and how they work, which is great because they want to learn about us just as much as we want to learn about them.”

“The best parts about being here would be getting to work with the Norwegians, learning about the culture, and at the same time, getting to know your fellow Marines better and using team work,” said Lance Cpl. Madelyn E. Smith, an automotive organizational mechanic for CLB-451.

PTAP Norway 2015 greatly increased the Marine Corps’ readiness by fostering a cooperative relationship with another nation, enhancing MOS proficiency and ensuring all the equipment stored in the cave sites are ready to go at a moment’s notice when the Marine Corps needs it.

• Date Taken: 07.01.2015
• Date Posted: 07.13.2015 10:50
• Story ID: 168797
• Location: TRONDHEIM, NO