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TRONDHEIM, Norway -- Since 1988, the Marine Corps has partnered with the Norwegian Military to operate and maintain the Marine Corps Pre-Positioning Program – Norway. MCPP-N provides the Marine Corps a responsive source of equipment and supplies to enable the rapid closure of Marines into the European Command area of responsibility and enables operations in Europe and throughout the globe. Its location in the vicinity of Trondheim, Norway, provides quick access to intra-theater lift via road, rail, air and sea ports of embarkation for the movement of approximately 1,200 pieces of rolling stock, in addition to supplies and ammunition.
So when a 7.2 magnitude quake leveled about 2,000 buildings in eastern Turkey, a longtime Ally and NATO partner, Oct. 23, killing more than 500 people and leaving about 2,500 injured and thousands of homeless, a team of Marines and personnel assigned to U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe, out of Stuttgart, Germany, grabbed their gear and flew to Trondheim to link up with their Norwegian military counterparts.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Turkey. In this time of need, our Marines responded magnificently, as did our Norwegian partners, assisting us with the withdrawal of critical relief supplies from the caves in Norway,” said Brigadier Gen. Charles Chiarotti, MARFOREUR deputy commander. “The ability to respond at a moment’s notice is a critical capability that we provide to the EUCOM Commander and is inherent in our ethos and way of life.”
The team of five Marines and one civilian hit the ground, Oct. 30, assessed the situation at the MCPP-N caves, and with the assistance of their Norwegian counterparts, withdrew and manifested 369 10-man cold weather tents, space heaters with stands and fuel cans, to the tune of more than 91,000 lbs. of gear within 24 hours. These facilities, which consist of six different cave sites, provide 671,000 square feet of modern, climate-controlled storage for the Marine Corps and are managed by a highly skilled Norwegian workforce. MCPP-N provides a unique capability that is inherently flexible and scalable to the operational needs of the Marine Corps.
Through a concerted effort by MARFOREUR, Blount Island Command, Headquarters Marine Corps, the U.S. Embassy, the Government of Norway, and the Norwegian military, the MARFOREUR team overcame the challenges of coordinating this rapid support over a weekend with no advanced notice. Working with MCPP-N’s Norwegian military personnel, they supervised and loaded the equipment onto tractor trailers for movement to the Vearnes International Airport in Trondhiem, Norway, Oct. 30.
With a pressing deadline to meet an early afternoon arrival of a U.S. Air Force C-17 bound for Turkey, the Marines prestaged the gear at MCPP-N facilities at the Vaernes International Airport the following morning, where they built 16 standard Air Force pallets for embarkation and prepared load plans. When the C-17 arrived, the pallets were neatly aligned, palletized, netted, weighed and ready to load for an on time and on target C-17 bound for Erzurum, Turkey. Once in Turkey, these much need relief supplies were distributed to those areas most impacted by the earthquake.
Due to changes in the global force posture, MARFOREUR is working with HQMC, Blount Island Command and the operational forces to evolve MCPP-N from a MEB-based construct into a more relevant prepositioning program that can support day-to-day operations in the EUCOM and AFRICOM theaters, to include security cooperation activities, while also maintaining a mid-level crisis response capability. The attributes demonstrated by its rapid response to humanitarian assistance efforts in Turkey, coupled with the significant Norwegian contribution, make this a cost-effective program for the Marine Corps to rapidly respond to contingencies and crisis throughout Europe and beyond.
“U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe, must continue to be ready to fulfill its role as the in-theater agent, tasked with responding to the geographic combatant commander's requirements and operational intent in times when specific forces are not assigned to a mission that presents itself at a moment's notice,” said Michael Harvey, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe pre-positioning officer.
The recent earthquake in Turkey comes at a time where those left homeless are being subjected to the harshness of the impending Turkish winter. With the support of the MCPP-N and MarForEur, many citizens of Eastern Turkey will now have a roof over their head and warmth to make a tragic situation a little better.
“The Marine Corps is sending the same message to the world that's been a part of our motto for the past 235 years and that's ‘Semper Fidelis,’ meaning ‘Always Faithful.’ The Marine Corps has always been true in coming the aid of our fellow brothers and sisters when they are in need and also dutiful in completing the mission no matter what's it is,” explained GySgt. Wesley Key, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe, Strategic Mobility Chief. “The victims of this most recent earthquake in Turkey are in need and the Marine Corps will live up to its motto and answer their call!”
| Date Taken: | 10.31.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.03.2011 09:30 |
| Story ID: | 79504 |
| Location: | TRONDHEIM, AKERSHUS, NO |
| Web Views: | 80 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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