The commanding general of 1st Marine Logistics Group, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., visited Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Oct. 17.
With Brig. Gen. John Broadmeadow’s recent return from Afghanistan, he wanted to get a boots on the ground view with one of his Yuma-based units, Combat Logistics Company 16, during their support of Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course 1-13.
CLC-16 provides logistical support needed for most training exercises and operations conducted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, Marine Aircraft Wing 13 and visiting air and ground detachments in Yuma throughout the year. From setting up camps, supplying troops with water, food, fuel and equipment and tearing the camp back down, CLC-16 plays a strategic role in keeping WTI on track.
“He came out today because he wanted to get a real feel on what is actually going on,” said Maj. Horace Bly, the commanding officer of CLC-16 and a native of Antioch, Calif. “It was a pulse check to say, ‘Hey you guys are hitting the mark here but missing it here’.”
Shortly after Brig. Gen. Broadmeadow arrived at MCAS Yuma, he boarded a CH-53E Super Stallion and was transported out to Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range, Siphon 8 training site. During his visit, Brig. Gen. Broadmeadow spoke with CLC-16 Marines from Yuma, Ariz., Bravo Battery 1/10 Marines from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., and Tango Battery 5-11, from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Bravo Battery 1/10, an artillery battalion whose primary mission is to provide fires in support of ground forces using organic indirect fire assets while coordinating both lethal and non-lethal fires in order to suppress, neutralize or destroy enemy, was invited to participate in WTI in order to integrate more of the Marine Air Ground Task Force concept during MAWTS-1 training.
“Bravo Battery is the first East Coast groundside unit that has come out to support a Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course,” said Bly. “This unit is a great example of how WTI is expanding and growing.”
This making it even more important for generals likes Brig. Gen. Broadmeadow to see the evolving nature of MAGTF integrated training.
“Now that the war is dying down, the pre-deployment training exercises like Mojave Viper are going away and the Combined Arms Exercise is already gone,” said Bly. “So, WTI is being looked at as how can we use this to train our troops on Marine Air Ground Task Force operations of the future.”
As WTI 1-13 draws to a close at the end of October 2012, MAWTS-1 will continue to expand WTI training operations to ensure our military forces are prepared for a spectrum of military missions globally.
