Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 arrived at the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s Haramura Maneuver Area, in Hiroshima, Japan, for Exercise Haramura 1-15, April 12, 2015.

The company-level training focused on reinforcing the skills Marines learned during Marine Combat Training and their Military Occupational Specialty schooling.

Service members with Engineer Company and Motor Transport Company refreshed the fundamental skills vital to their MOSs, such as conducting a mounted patrol, utilizing heavy equipment vehicles and using M240 bravo machine gun during the weeklong training event.

“This training helps us and our Marines get back to the basics,” said Capt. Kevin Wheeler, the Motor Transport Company commander with MWSS-171. “Marines often get complacent and forget some essential Marine Corps knowledge after their schooling. That’s why we are training here, to ensure the Marines of MWSS-171 are ready for any situation, because we never know when we may be called into action.”

Wheeler said being able to travel to the training grounds provides MWSS-171 with a unique training environment not easily found aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, adding that he looks forward to continuing to ensure his Marines are both tactfully and technically proficient.

As part of the training event, one of the squadron’s missions was to allow the company’s noncommissioned officers to take charge of their troops for the majority of the training to test their ability to lead their Marines.

“NCOs are the backbone of the Marine Corps and as such they must be able to lead their troops.” said Staff Sgt. Nigel Hinds, the truck master for MWSS-171. “While we do have staff NCOs here, our sergeants and corporals can’t always wait for a staff sergeant or (gunnery sergeant) to tell them what to do. This is why one of the side goals for us is to make sure our young NCOs are up for the challenge of stepping up to the leadership roles.”

Hinds said as NCOs, his Marines must be able to instruct their junior Marines while instilling discipline and passing the knowledge they have on to them.

With the Marines ready to begin their training, Wheeler said he looks forward to seeing what the Marines of MWSS-171 are capable of and is also looking forward to seeing some great training.