MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 returned to its home base Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C. March 11 after completing a six-month deployment under the Unit Deployment Program here.
The Unit Deployment Program was created by the commandant to provide deployments of units to the Western Pacific for periods of six months at a time.
“UDP is a system of cycling different fighter squadrons from stateside for us to continue to maintain a presence in the (Pacific area of responsibility),” said Capt. Ramon Ballester, VMFA -115 ground safety and Naval Air Training andOperating Standardization officer.
VMFA squadrons are aviation units selected to provide air-to-ground support for troops in combat in the form of surveillance and reconnaissance.
“We are the eye in the sky for the troops on the ground,” said Staff Sgt. Enel C. Laborn, VMFA -115 quality assurance representative.
While being deployed to the Western Pacific, VMFA squadrons participate in various training and also act as a response force.
“It’s been a very interesting experience,” said Ballester. “We had the opportunity to redeploy to Okinawa, Thailand and Korea, and some of us have been to the Phillippines and Brunei.”
During their time here, VMFA -115’s Marines participated in various exercises such as Arden Blitz in South Korea; Cobra Gold in Korat, Thailand; and Ryuoko Air Warrior and Wolmido Fury in Okinawa, Japan.
“The exercises were excellent. It gave us the opportunity to train with both American Air Force and the opportunity to work with Thailand,” said Ballester. “Specifically, in Cobra Gold we were able to work with the Thai Air Force and fly with their L-39s, their Alpha Jets and their F-16s.”
When VMFA units travel, they usually leave in a sequential order of groups referred to as the lead, main body and trail crews.The lead crew is the first to depart. It consists of the unit’s pilots and half of the unit’s maintenance Marines.
They’re responsible for ensuring the fighter jets arrive at their destination safely.
The main body is the second wave of Marines to leave. This contains a majority of the unit’s Marines, and they take a straight flight commercially to their destination.
The trail crew is the remainder of the maintenance Marines who follow the fighter jets, ensuring no one and nothing is left behind. VMFA -115 departed with only a main body and trail crew.
Their fighter jets left with the trail crew. The remainder of the maintenance crew will followed the fighter jets, ensuring that they make it to their home station safely.
Although the unit is leaving, VMFA (AW )-121 will replace VMFA 115 and continue to maintain the responsibilities of a UDP VMFA squadron here.
“Marine aviation isn’t going anywhere, and as long as Marine aviation is around, 115 will be around,” said Laborn.