MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- The first group of Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 1st Marine Logistics Group, departed Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton as part of Mountain Exercise training at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, Calif., on Aug. 19, 2014.
This is the final exercise the units that comprise the Ground Combat Element and Combat Logistics Element will complete prior to compositing with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit in October. The training sharpens individual and small-unit skills through challenging, complex, and realistic training.
Staff Sgt. Matthew R. Becker, landing support platoon sergeant, CLB-15, was tasked with organizing the movement of gear and troops to MCMWTC.
“The hardest part is making sure we have accountability,” said Becker, 22, from Slinger, Wis. “We’ve broken down the Marines into [groups of 15], with [group] leaders that keep accountability of their Marines. This helps us make sure every Marine gets on board.”
Movements like these are a major part of what CLB-15 does while deployed with the 15th MEU, which helps play a crucial role in the success of any mission.
“A lot of what we do is moving gear that Marines need to get the job done,” Becker said. “The last thing we want to do is send Marines off without gear, or have it get delayed because we didn’t plan the load right.”
Landing support specialists follow strict guidelines and orders to ensure safe transportation and timely deliveries.
“It can get pretty complicated when you start moving multiple types of cargo and troops,” said Sgt. Jeremy Merriweather, landing support specialist, CLB-15. “There are a lot of regulations that need to be enforced. If you don’t secure everything for flight, or load everything with proper weight distributions, problems can arise during flight that put Marines lives at risk.”
During this movement Marines with the CLB-15 focused on identifying possible problems that may arise in the future and addressing them before joining the 15th MEU.
“Like most units, there’s always a lot of [personnel] turnover,” said Merriweather, 22, from Kokomo, Ind. “We’re just trying to smooth everything out and fix any problems that come up now, rather than later.”