MARIEN CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii -- POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA -- Both active and reserve Marines and Sailors from units stationed in the Pacific arena -- which included Okinawa and Iwakuni, Japan, and MCB Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay -- were tasked to work together in a single scenario in support of the Hawaii Combined Arms Exercise here.
Marine Aircraft Group 24 Commanding Officer Col. Gregory C. Reuss was designated as the exercise officer in charge, a position usually reserved for a ground combat element officer.
"It has been a learning experience for our staff," said Reuss. "We are normally just the air combat element. The Marine Air Ground Task Force flavor offers a broader focus on working with the ground combat element, and the various support elements in a lot of areas," he explained.
"Also, the Tactical Exercise Control Group [TECG] has provided a great exercise scheme which integrates a myriad of scenarios that gets all units engaged."
The mission of III Marine Expeditionary Force, TECG, is to provide the command element of III MEF with tactical exercise support and "a war-gaming conflict simulation capability, in order to provide integrated MAGTF training for the III Marine Expeditionary Brigade command element and MSC and Marine Expeditionary Units headquarters staffs," explained Maj. John Coleman, assistant operations officer for TECG III MEF.
Colonel Reuss made a decision that it was time to "up the challenge" for HCAX. His intent was to create an environment for subordinate commands that was as close to the real MAGTF operation, as possible," Coleman explained, "but without impacting the subordinate command, individual training goals."
The MAG figured out a way to completely integrate individualized, unit-level training events into a MAGTF training scenario.
"The MAG staff created a scenario based upon the fictitious country of Erita, which had been invaded by the federated Ogden States. They did a great job of establishing an intel scenario where Erita had asked for U.S. assistance, and MAGTF had been given the mission to secure and defend the forward operations base, prior to the arrival of follow on forces," said Coleman.
Though fully challenged by the scenario, MAGTF-3 successfully neutralized hostile forces that crossed the Eritian main line of defense within the area of operations. Participating commands said that this year's training offered a lot more learning points.
Captain Andy "Fester" Needles, squadron weapons and tactics instructor with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463, flew several missions in support of HCAX.
"The most beneficial training is with the members of the units we are supporting, to include mission planning and execution," said Needles. "It allows us to evaluate our standard operating procedures, along with our weapons and tactics procedures."
"This was my first deployment, and I didn't know what to expect, but I thought it was awesome and I had a good time," said Sgt. Ysak Webley, a weather forecaster with Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, based in Okinawa. "I thought it was a great experience; I learned my job with limited resources."
Many other participants said they benefited from the HCAX scenario and look forward to next year's training evolution.
"I thought it was one of the better training exercises," said Lance Cpl. Jeremy Sandel, an Air Support Operations operator with Marine Air Support Squadron 2. "I learned a lot; it was all hands-on, and we got the opportunity to control aircraft.
"We had a few bugs in the beginning, but we got it all together by the end," Sandel explained.