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I MEF conducts MPF offload
Submitted by: I Marine Expeditionary Force
Story Identification #: 20031283538
Story by Sgt. Colin Wyers
Kuwait (Jan. 17, 2003) -- Ships from the Maritime Prepositioning Force were offloaded in support of the I Marine Expeditionary Force Jan. 17 at a port in Kuwait.
The equipment and supplies from the ships were sent to Marine forces attached to the U.S. Central Command.
"The Department of Defense is in the process of repositioning some of its equipment to support the President's global war on terrorism," said Lt. Col. Anthony Ardovino, I Marine Expeditionary Force logistics operation officer, 42, from Birmingham, Ala. "The Marines of I Marine Expeditionary Force are part of that repositioning effort."
The ships, controlled by the Navy for the Marine Corps, are positioned around the world in order to quickly supply expeditionary units.
"A maritime prepositioning squadron is typically from five to six ships," said Ardovino. "There are three of these squadrons throughout the world - one in Diego Garcia, one in Guam, and one in the Mediterranean-Eastern Atlantic region."
The ships carry a wide variety of supplies to support forward-deployed units.
"The equipment aboard a maritime prepositioning squadron typically supports a Marine Expeditionary Brigade of about 17,000 Marines and sailors for around 30 days," said Ardovino. "These ships carry the full range of equipment, from your typical humvee to M1A1 tanks, amphibious track vehicles and artillery pieces."
Once the ships arrive, Marines and sailors go to work offloading the contents.
"An offload itself is really straightforward," said Ardovino. "It involves bringing in the ship, offloading the equipment, and linking the equipment up with the Marines designated to fall in on that equipment and conduct operations."
Carrying out much of the effort were landing support specialists - called red patchers because of the patches on their uniform trousers and covers, originally worn to distinguish them from infantrymen on the beachheads of World War II. Marines and sailors from Camp Commando, Kuwait were called on to support the operation.
"During the offload process, we assisted the red patchers with moving various types of vehicles off the ships that were in port," said Sgt. Austin Grogan, I MEF G-3 Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System operator, 25, from Hunnington Beach, Calif.
After being offloaded, some of the equipment made its way to Camp Commando to support the command element.
"Transportation is needed," said Grogan. "We also offloaded forklifts, and bulldozers - you need that when you're expanding a base, when you're digging in, or when you need to move equipment." -30- |
Photos included with story: | Two U.S. Marines guide the driver of an M1A1 Abrams tank into a staging area after the tank was offloaded from a Maritime Prepositioning Force ship at a port in Kuwait Jan. 17, 2003. The equipment being offloaded will be linked up with the Camp Pendleton, Calif., based I Marine Expeditionary Force, which is repositioning to the region in support of the global war on terrorism. One Maritime Prepositioning Force squadron carries enough equipment, ranging from food and ammunition to tanks and howitzers, to outfit 17,000 troops for 30 days. Photo by: Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon | |
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 | U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Justin Huddleston, a 21-year-old military policeman with 2nd Military Police Battalion, 2nd Force Service Support Group, based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., and a native of Hopkinsville, Ky., mans a .50-caliber machine gun from atop a humvee providing security for convoys of military vehicles offloaded from Maritime Prepositioning Force ships at a port in Kuwait Jan. 17, 2003. The equipment being offloaded will be linked up with the Camp Pendleton, Calif., based I Marine Expeditionary Force, which is repositioning to the region in support of the global war on terrorism. One Maritime Prepositioning Force squadron carries enough equipment, ranging from food and ammunition to tanks and howitzers, to outfit 17,000 troops for 30 days. Photo by: Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon | |
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 | After being offloaded from a Maritime Prepositioning Force ship and tested positively for operability, a U.S. Marine amphibious assault vehicle bears the mark of "Good" at a port in Kuwait Jan. 17, 2003. Each piece of equipment is checked out by vehicle operators and mechanics before being fielded. The equipment being offloaded will be linked up with the Camp Pendleton, Calif., based I Marine Expeditionary Force, which is repositioning to the region in support of the global war on terrorism. One Maritime Prepositioning Force squadron carries enough equipment, ranging from food and ammunition to tanks and howitzers, to outfit 17,000 troops for 30 days. Photo by: Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon | |
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 | A U.S. Marine drives a truck off of a Maritime Prepositioning Force ship at a port in Kuwait Jan. 17, 2003. The equipment being offloaded will be linked up with the Camp Pendleton, Calif., based I Marine Expeditionary Force, which is repositioning to the region in support of the global war on terrorism. One Maritime Prepositioning Force squadron carries enough equipment, ranging from food and ammunition to tanks and howitzers, to outfit 17,000 troops for 30 days. Photo by: Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon | |
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 | U.S. Marines walk into the bowels of a Maritime Prepositioning Force ship to offload military vehicles at a port in Kuwait Jan. 17, 2003. The equipment being offloaded will be linked up with the Camp Pendleton, Calif., based I Marine Expeditionary Force, which is repositioning to the region in support of the global war on terrorism. One Maritime Prepositioning Force squadron carries enough equipment, ranging from food and ammunition to tanks and howitzers, to outfit 17,000 troops for 30 days. Photo by: Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon | |
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 | U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Joel Newport, a 29-year-old landing support specialist assigned to 2nd Transportation Support Battalion, 2nd Force Service Support Group, based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., and a native of Garden City, Kan., mans a check point where he tracks all military vehicles being offloaded from Maritime Prepositioning Force ships at a port in Kuwait Jan. 17, 2003. The equipment being offloaded will be linked up with the Camp Pendleton, Calif., based I Marine Expeditionary Force, which is repositioning to the region in support of the global war on terrorism. One Maritime Prepositioning Force squadron carries enough equipment, ranging from food and ammunition to tanks and howitzers, to outfit 17,000 troops for 30 days. Photo by: Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon | |
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Text version of story is attached below: |
