Photo By Cpl. Robert Bliss | Lance Cpl. Michael Tate and Lance Cpl. Michael Manukyan, I Marine Expeditionary Force...... read more read more
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The Marines and sailors of I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group prepared for an upcoming exercise April 7 to May 11 at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
The exercise, called I MEF Joint Task Force Operational Capability Assessment, is a qualification event which will allow I MEF to operate as a joint task force headquarters and is slated for May 12-18. A Joint Task Force is a military unit including personnel from multiple military services under a designated commander from any service.
The exercise will take place at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Yuma, Ariz., and will include 600 military members from the U.S. Marines, Army, Navy and Air Force.
“OCA is I MEF’s certification exercise to serve as a joint task force,” said Capt. John Conrad, assistant operations officer, 9th Communication Battalion. “Ninth Comm is providing the command-and-control systems for the exercise.”
9th Communication Battalion is one of the subordinate commands of I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group and is a self-sustaining, combat ready element capable of providing command, control, communications, and computer support to I MEF commanders.
I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group provides administrative, training and logistical support to I MEF and I Marine Expeditionary Brigade command elements.
The battalion set up power generators and communications devices to interlink various elements participating in the exercise, and additional security is being supplied by Headquarters Company, I MEF Headquarters Group.
Conrad said that Marines always train like they fight, and without units like his battalion to provide support, the realism of the exercise is lost.
“For this JTF to have the most realistic certification, these Marines need to have the same means of communication as if they were forward deployed,” said Conrad. “We provide that realism.”
This exercise will simulate the deployment of more than 40,000 U.S. personnel in support of a partner nation and is the first time I MEF will be assessed in their ability to integrate and certify as a joint task force headquarters.
| Date Taken: | 05.03.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 05.09.2017 16:51 |
| Story ID: | 233055 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 184 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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