Navy-Marine Corps team dig deep to amphibious roots

23 May 2017 | 2nd Lt. Samuel Stephenson The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website

For two weeks, Marines from II Marine Expeditionary Force and Sailors from Expeditionary Strike Group 2 have gathered at Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Atlantic at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek to execute Bold Alligator Aviation Mission Rehearsal Exercise.

BAAMREX, a joint command post exercise, provides 2nd MAW, and other units within II MEF, to rehearse key aspects of the aviation mission of Bold Alligator 17, a live scenario-driven exercise designed to improve naval amphibious core competencies.

BAAMREX, however, focuses on the task of providing live aerial support from amphibious ships while Marines are afloat, and transitioning that control ashore when Marines land. This large-scale movement requires constant coordination between Navy and Marine Corps units to avoid any friction that might hinder operations. 

“This year’s BA-17 has a lot of new technology we plan on incorporating and we also want to think hard on how we transition ‘control’ and ‘command’ from ship to shore,” said Col. John Rahe, assistant wing commander, and commanding officer of BAAMREX. “The Marine Corps has not transitioned ship to shore in many years – we are planning on testing our capabilities and limitations within the scope of the exercise to focus our support to the [Marine Expeditionary Brigade], but also achieve our own training objectives.”

Because the Marine Corps has been engaged in conflicts on the ground for more than 10 years, 2nd MAW will use BAAMREX as an opportunity to rehearse and increase proficiency in supporting amphibious operations from the air, primarily through employment of the Tactical Air Command Center. The TACC is a hub for coordination that provides the aviation command element commanding officer all the information he needs to identify targets to support Marines on the ground. 

“We haven’t done something to this level, really, since prior to OIF and OEF,” said Maj. Jonathan Howard, plans officer for 2nd MAW, and exercise director for BAAMREX. “There’s a certain amount of risk associated with just conducting military operations, [even those] not involving an enemy that is actively trying to kill you. So, it helps us professionalize what we do, and get back to our naval roots, but also mitigate the risk we will face.“

An essential part of the transition of command and control from ship to shore is the TACC, according to Howard. 

“The Tactical Air Command Center is the senior agency of the Marine Aviation Command and Control System,” said Howard. “That TACC provides the ACE commander all the situational awareness he needs, really, to do two things: perform the six functions of Marine aviation, carry them all out; and support the [Marine Air Ground Task Force], and, in this case, the amphibious force, because he will support the commander of the amphibious task force and perhaps some other elements in their accomplishment of the mission.” 

During BAAMREX, several naval units are also participating to gain proficiency and work with the Marines to successfully make the ship to shore transition.

“BAAMREX is bringing the blue/green team back together,” said Lt. Cmdr Jason Abernathy, training officer assigned to Tactical Air Control Squadron 21, and the lead planner for the Tactical Air Control Squadron for BAAMREX. “Over the last 15 years of ground combat, the Marines had moved away from their amphibious roots. Both the Marine Corps and the Navy have forgotten how to work together, so this is bringing us both back together for a combined team.” 

As the exercise continues, both the Marine Corps and Navy will apply the lessons learned, not just for future Bold Alligators, but as a joint amphibious force for the future. 

“What will come out of this, and it’s already happening, is units coming together and getting to know each other so we can function and perform together, because a lot of it is personal knowledge of each other’s experiences for BA 17,” said Abernathy. “The big difference between BA 16 and 17 is going to be live aircraft, which means real people real airplanes flying around airspace so the level of seriousness and detailed planning and notes to safety is obviously much, much higher.