Sotg

[USMC Chuter]

By Sgt. Art Geahr COMMANDER, U.S. NAVAL FORCES MARIANAS, Guam (June 25) -- The Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) have begun the training and testing required to earn the Special Operations Capable (SOC) designation ? but they won't do it alone. They will be tested, coached and assisted by the Marine instructors at the Special Operations Training Group (SOTG) on Okinawa, Japan. A SOC certification attests that the MEU has the training and experience needed to conduct special missions including humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, non-combatant evacuations, tactical recoveries of aircraft and personnel, amphibious raids, and show-of-force operations. The training comes in the form of numerous realistic scenarios the MEU must react to, such as the Training in an Urban Environment Exercise recently conducted on Guam and Saipan. The execution of all corresponding missions is set up, monitored and evaluated by the SOTG staff. Special Operations Training Group Marines know what it takes to plan and execute successful special operations missions because they've been there. The majority of the instructors at SOTG have served in the Marine Corps' reconnaissance community and have deployed with other MEU (SOC) units. They come to SOTG as sergeants or above to pass along their experience from training exercises and real-world operations. "Experience counts," said Staff Sgt. Monroe A. Stueber, an SOTG dynamic assault instructor. In addition to all their experience, the instructors also need to be good teachers. "You may be confident and know what you're doing, but articulating that to someone else can be a challenge sometimes," said Stueber. But the SOTG instructors are up to the challenge. From rescuing hostages to storming beaches, SOTG instructors prepare 31st MEU Marines for the special operations missions they may be asked to perform. When the Marines of the 31st MEU earn their SOC qualification and deploy to various regions around the world, the training and instruction they received from SOTG will help them effectively deal with the challenges of training exercises and real-world operations.

[USMC Chuter]

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (November 8, 2004) -- The wind was crisp but the sun was warm as the helmet and flak jacket clad Marines of 2d Air & Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO), II Marine Expeditionary Force, waited with anticipation. In the distance, the Marines could hear the sound of propeller blades as they cut through the morning air and soon the distinctive silhouette of the V-22 Osprey Tilt Rotor Aircraft appeared over the tree line.

When the plane touched down at Landing Zone Pheasant, two sticks of Marines raced aboard the aircraft before it hovered back off into the horizon. Then, out of nowhere, the Osprey appeared again. The back hatch opened and twelve young Marines slid down the long red rope hanging out the back, as if they were sliding down a fire station pole. They immediately rushed to the “rally point” and made sure every Marine was accounted for.

This scenario was part of the training that 2d ANGLICO recently participated in. Along with the help of Special Operations Training Group (SOTG) instructors, the Marines of ANGLICO were focused on testing the capabilities of the Osprey.

“This (the Osprey) is a fairly new aircraft. Our job is to certify it as safe,” said Gunnery Sgt. Jim M. Boutin, SOTG instructor and Haverhill, Mass. Native. “All the info and data will be sent higher and they will make the call on it.”

The intent of the training was to find out how the Osprey handled under any circumstance.

“It’s best to test the Osprey in as near real conditions as possible with the Marines that will be using it to determine whether or not it will be viable,” said Gunnery Sgt. Scott R. McCarthy, SOTG instructor and Lake City, Fla. native.

Even though this wasn’t the first time fast roping was tried on the Osprey, it is, however, the first time for the ANGLICO Marines to try it.

“I wanted to do this for the experience of it,” said LCpl. Brian D. Salisbury, fire support, 2d ANGLICO.

Part of ANGLICO’s mission is to be ready for any situation, whether it be fast roping out of an Osprey or parachuting into a war zone.

“There’s nothing like waking up in the morning and wondering if you are going to make it back alive,” said Salisbury, a Stafford, Va. native. “I don’t think the Marine Corps would put us up there, though, unless it was safe.”

“The training was important for us to do because it showed the aircraft was a feasible platform for fast rope operations,” said Boutin. “The operation was successful because we got to conduct operations from that platform without incident.”

ANGLICO and SOTG: training together to keep our Marines in the fight.