MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Marines and sailors from several units aboard the station, Helicopter Support Combat Squadron 25, and the USNS Alan Shepard (TAKE-3) conducted a vertical replenishment of basic supplies to the station here Sunday.
Many of the materials aboard the station have a shelf life and as they get older need rework, so many of them were taken back to the manufacturers to be replaced or updated. Personnel from Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, including airfield operations and station ordnance, provided assistance in loading and receiving gear.
HSC-25, a unit deployed out of Guam, provided helicopters and assisted personnel from USNS Alan Shepard in netting and rigging of the cargo.
Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 also joined to train for future operations.
Capt. Kenneth L. Aikey, the aviation ordnance officer, said that this type of operation does not happen very often but is the easiest and safest way to bring cargo to and from the station.
“You cannot ship (this cargo) on a commercial airline, and if you want to bring it over the road you have to give a threeday notice to the government of Japan, and we can only drive at night,” Aikey said.
“So what happens is HSC-25 comes in and brings the (supplies) to us, and as they bring them in they take away the stuff we need to replace. This way there’s nothing going over public roadways, and we can replace our old (supplies).”
Lt. Cmdr. Keith Applegate, the logistics officer here, said there was a lot of planning that went into the operation but that safety was the most important thing to remember. “With the heat, you have to worry about heat stroke and dehydration,” said Aikey.
“With the helicopters, you have to worry about rotor wash, noise and the possibility of a dropped lift.”
All personal protective equipment was required and every Marine and sailor was briefed on proper safety procedures.
Extensive plans of the operation were sent to the station safety office to be approved before the exercise could commence.
At the end of the day, the operation was a success. The job was finished early and safely.
But more importantly over 100 out-of-date materials were replaced with more efficient, safer equipment.