Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. -- Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 Motor Transport Company Marines conducted a motorized operations course aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Aug. 1, as part of the squadron’s Integrated Training Exercise.
“MOC is an event that prepares the operators for the type of environment and the type of enemy contact they would experience (and possibly encounter) on a deployment in an environment like Afghanistan,” said 2nd Lt. Michelle A. Roberts, MWSS-272 motor transport operations platoon commander.
The mission for MWSS-272 Marines during the course was to re-supply a forward operating base in the vicinity of a checkpoint.
“Our mission accomplishment was measured by our ability to execute the (Immediate Action) drills that followed each scenario and the effectiveness in which they executed the drills,” Roberts said. “So, our mission accomplishment wasn’t necessarily measured in if we could successfully deliver the equipment but our ability to combat anything that could stop us along the way.”
The exercise consisted of convoy operations with seven vehicles, two M240B machine guns, and three .50 caliber machine guns.
During the training exercise, the Marines were thrown into a variety of situations that they would experience in a deployment.
“During a deployment nothing is certain and anything could happen, the IA drills are a base line so that you have an idea of what to do given a situation,” Roberts said. “That’s where improvise adapt and overcome comes in, being smart and recognizing that the situation you’re in is similar to an IA drill you’ve ran before.”
For most Marines, training outside of the Marine Corps Air Station New River area is a new experience. Lance Cpl. Dale Sylvester, MWSS-272 motor operations gunner, said his departure to Twentynine Palms was a new adventure and a great learning opportunity that helped him become more efficient in his job and being able to participate in the motorized operations course.
“Compared to when I first got here (to the squadron), my weapons proficiency has gone up substantially, “Sylvester said. “It was good stuff, and (the Marines) learned a lot from it.”