MWSS-171 slated to run exercise Thunder Horse June 21-25

The exercise, which will focus on convoy training, is being conducted in preparation for exercise Haramura slated for July 16-23 in Haramura, Japan.

“What we are going to be doing is largely moving toward that kind of crawl, walk, run mentality,” said Capt. Jason Britain, MWSS- 171 Motor Transport Operations Company commander and exercise officer-in-charge. “The main objective is familiarization. It really is familiarization of basic field skills and convoy skills.”

Thunder Horse will mainly involve MWSS-171 Motor Transport Operations Company and some Airfield Operations Company personnel.

The participating service members will be faced with numerous training scenarios, which will familiarize them with the defense of a tactical convoy, casualty assessment under fire, weapons handling, vehicle mounting and other skills.

Professional military education classes will also be conducted during the exercise, in which the Marines will discuss what to expect during Haramura, the proper handling of their equipment and survivability in combat.

Britain said much of what will be covered during Thunder Horse will serve the Marines as a refresher of what they may already know but will allow them to hit the ground running when it’s time to participate in exercise Haramura.

Many of the senior-ranking MWSS-171 Marines are looking forward to the exercise as a great opportunity to train their junior Marines.

“It’s more of a personal thing for me because every life is important,” said Master Sgt. Albert A. Asuncion, MWSS-171 Motor Transport Maintenance chief. “How we train is how we increase our survivability. As senior leaders, our job is to train so they can replace you at one point or another.”

Asuncion said he hopes the junior Marines will endeavor to learn as much as possible during the exercise because they can be called upon to serve in battle at a moment’s notice.