Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4 rules the skyways and the highways

Photo By Cpl. Joshua Murray | Sgt. Maj. David Devaney, the sergeant major for Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4, instructs Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112 in close-quarters battle techniques aboard Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Sept. 10, 2009. The unit spent the time they weren't in flight, protecting convoys from hazards of the road, training quick reaction forces from other units, holding live-fire ranges and participating in security operations.  

AL ASAD, IRAQ

09.10.2009

Story by Cpl. Joshua Murray 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq — To this day, Marines still stand post at entry control points to assess potential threats at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, and drive through the gates across the desolate sands of Iraq on missions. While spending several hours in battle rattle, soaking up the desert's relentless rays, some may look at these as daunting tasks, but for Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4, it's considered perks of the job.

"The Marines loved it. They found all kinds of contraband at [entry control points]," said Staff Sgt. Barry Worley, the administrative chief with VMAQ-4. "They inspected vehicles and found guns and knives. These Marines were offered these jobs as incentives. You had to earn it and because you earned it, you could stand for eight hours in the sun."

For the unit's past two deployments, when they weren't in flight, protecting convoys from hazards of the road, they trained their own men and women and other units to increase the proficiency of any ground fighting force that wanted the help.

"They've trained the Navy squadrons, [Marine infantry units], army personnel — basically every service here including the Air Force," said Lt. Col. David A. Suggs, the commanding officer of VMAQ-4.

Worley explained that, while training his own Marines to become an elite quick reaction force proved to be time well spent, they gained a great deal of wisdom from mentoring other units.

"Over the last 18 months, we've trained more than 500 people from 18 different units. We started putting quotas for classes out to other units, because every time we taught somebody else, it made our instructors better and made the base a better place."

The squadron implemented the training to give their Marines the opportunity to take part in combat missions and training considered out of the ordinary for many of them, and kept morale high by varying their everyday experience.

"We did probably just under 1000 hours of combat patrols," Suggs said. "My Marines have shot [AK-47 Assault Rifles], Squad Automatic Weapons and sniper rifles. It's interesting that an aviation squadron is training a lot of the other quick reaction forces here. They weren't just doing the mundane every day things. You can only turn a wrench so much."

The men and women of VMAQ-4 can see the end of their mission on the horizon. After leaving their mark on units around the base who will continue stability operations, they will return home to become a training squadron, teaching future EA-6B Prowler operators the tricks of the aerial trade, and maybe a bit of knowledge on kicking down doors if the situation presents itself.

• Date Taken: 09.10.2009
• Date Posted: 09.21.2009 07:49
• Story ID: 39078
• Location: AL ASAD, IQ