Battalion Keeps Marines Communicating - Camp Pendleton, CA Patch

Cpl. Joshua Young, 1^st?Marine Expeditionary Brigade

TWENTYNINE PALMS?Marines with 9th Communication Battalion set up supporting communications and data transmission services for 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade during Javelin Thrust 2012 in Twentynine Palms.

The Marines arrived June 18 to set up the brigade?s communications. The exercise serves a part of a three exercise continuum aimed to validate the readiness of 1st MEB as a global crisis response force.

The battalion embarked from Camp Pendleton with command and control center tents, gear and equipment and more than 46 tactical vehicles designed to operate a command and control center.

Javelin Thrust differs than typical training exercises aboard Camp Pendleton, where battalion is based, by supporting more than 400 Marines and sailors of the 1st MEB command element.

Related:?Javelin Thrust 2012 Trains More than 5000 Marines

Over the past ten years, the battalion has typically deployed to environments?such as Iraq an Afghanistan?where communications networks were already in place. Javelin Thrust provided the battalion to establish its command and support system from the ground up.

?This is a culminating event,? said Maj. Fernando Jimenez, the unit?s Javelin Thrust detachment officer in charge. ?This is what it?s going to take to support a MEB should it be called upon. Our ability to command and control is being validated, and we are succeeding.?

The battalion provided Marines with various occupational specialties to equip 1st MEB with the assets and knowledge they?ll need to maintain communication during the exercise. Sgt. Steven S. Pulliam, a motor transport mechanic, and his Marines took responsibility of providing the battalion day-to-day resources.

?We support the MEB with water, fuel, food and transportation,? said Pulliam, who serves with the battalion. ?One of the big things we do here is keep the generators running and make sure the water bulls [water tanks] are clean and full of water for everybody.?

Keeping the equipment cool in the Mojave Desert training area is a challenge for the unit as the temperature peaked higher than 100 degrees.

?I?m in charge of making sure that the generators and air conditioners are running,? said Cpl. Francisco R. Cruz, an AC. ?We supply the power and necessary temperature to keep the gear cool so it runs in its proper function.?

Communication between the brigade?s command operations center and the ground units is a critical function to conduct a large-scale exercise. Maintaining a communication system is vital to keep operations fluid.

?I?m here supporting the technicians we have from the other satellite systems for communication,? said Lance Cpl. Michael P. Raymond, a multi-channel communications equipment. ?We?re the ones that make sure communication goes through smoothly and any data or commands that are given are sent through.?

Sgt. Arthur I. Baronov, a technical controller, is responsible for installing, maintaining, operating and troubleshooting tactical communication networks for the Marine Corps and coalition forces in a deployed environment. Technical controllers typically work with the majority of the communication equipment as subject matter experts for the other Marines in the unit.

?We act as the central hub for coordinating the troubleshooting and establishment of a fully functional communications network using tactical gear,? Baronov said. ?The biggest part of our role is to monitor our network and make sure we have reliable communication.?
The battalion also provides communication from the sky via satellite.

The Marines training on the ground communicate with other units through field radios. They rely on the radio operators to monitor and maintain connectivity with the command element. Sgt. Patricia L. Reynolds, a field radio, said her Marines had communication support ready for the Marines training in a matter of days upon arrival.

Every phone call, e-mail, field radio command and satellite transmission goes through the battalion?s equipment. The exercise hinges on the battalion?s ability to do their job and keep the momentum.

?It?s all about communications to effectively command and control,? Jimenez said. ?We?re doing our part. The Marines have done a fantastic and phenomenal job. From the day they hit the ground running, they?ve not stopped.?

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Source: http://camppendleton.patch.com/articles/battalion-keeps-marines-communicating

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