MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Marines with Marine Aircraft Group 12, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 and Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron practiced their operational readiness during Strategic Mobility Exercise 16 at Marine Corps Air station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 19-23, 2015.
STRATMOBEX 16 is to validate existing assumptions in Marine Aircraft Group 12 planning and facilitate the creation of standing order for MAG-12 contingency crisis response.
“The Strategic Mobility Exercise is designed to test how fast this organization can meet the demands of multiple requirements with limited distribution capabilities spread across multiple units,” said Maj. Jeffrey Collins, the Marine Aircraft Group 12 logistics officer. “We’re just bringing everyone together at one place, at one time to meet the overall scheme of maneuver for the organization.”
STRATMOBEX prepares Marines at MCAS Iwakuni to respond to any situation where multiple units may be needed in order to achieve mission success.
Collins said STRATMOBEX allows Marines to practice deploying multiple units at once anywhere within the air station’s area of operation through one standardized process.
Marines had one week to receive gear needed for the deployment, their immunizations and orders. Leaders of each unit had to ensure their Marines were at the appointed areas for the success of the exercise.
“The purpose of this exercise is to make sure we have the mechanics down of processing a large group of people from different organizations through a standardized process to make sure everyone who deploys is equipped with the right equipment and the proper accountability,” said Collins. “We want to be sure they are prepared to conduct whatever operation they’ve got ahead of them.”
STRATMOBEX 16 participants anticipated the possibility for errors and plan to make adjustments and improve upon next year’s exercise.
“What we’re going to take from here is basically our lesson learned to make sure we can exercise the mechanics of this as efficiently as possible,” said Collins.
While the purpose of STRATMOBEX was to mobilize multiple units through a singular process, it also helped Marines who have never deployed learn what the process is like and what they’ll need to do when the time comes.
“I think this is helpful for the Marines who haven’t been on any operations yet,” said Lance Cpl. Julio Oria Herrera, a bulk fuel specialist with MWSS 171. “This is good to know so when there’s an emergency everyone knows what to do to be prepared so they can get straight to the fight. This will help the process go a lot smoother.”
Collins said the future of STRATMOBEX will include a shorter time period Marines have to be deployable.