It was 15 minutes before 1 a.m. and I was awoken by Lieutenant Irish. I shouldn’t need him to wake me up but I neglected to think ahead and bring a watch with an alarm clock to the training exercise with me. I got dressed in the dark and waddled out in full gear, i.e. flack-jacket, helmet, rifle and an awkward shaped bag where I kept my camera, to the motor pool. When I got there, I sat around for approximately an hour and then I figured out that while I’m supposed to be going to cover a story, I am also sitting in the front of the truck and assisting the driver during the half-a-day drive.
I hadn’t been able to get a really precise answer as to what was going on or why I was going with them but instead of nagging people to death, I rode along anyway to see for myself.
Leaving at 2 a.m., we drove for what seemed like forever, getting lost occasionally and ended up driving a good way across the state of Arizona to pick up some Marines and transport them roughly five miles, and then we headed home. I saw nothing news worthy in this event.
It wasn’t until I made it back from the training and was consolidating my thoughts over a cigarette that someone spelled it out for me. Then when it hit me, the story was obvious, and I’d like to share it with you.
Thursday, Oct. 28, I wandered aimlessly trying to figure out more about the situation at hand. I didn’t know anything other than I would be tagging along with the Motor Transportation Platoon in Regimental Combat Team 8, to some event that was news worthy.
My point of contact was Staff Sgt. Joshua A. Swain III, the regimental licensing chief with RCT-8. I bothered him several times throughout Thursday and Friday trying to get a glimpse at the story at hand. Now most lance corporals have to take orders without question, and I am no exception, but I will press hard for explanations because it is my job to know. I pressed for both days and the most I could get was a mere “you know as much as I do,” for a response. No journalist would accept this as an answer, but my resources were exhausted and you cannot squeeze blood from a stone.
When Saturday’s wee hours of the morning came around, I awaited answers to my questions. What I got was less than desired, but in the end more than I bargained for.
We drove for hours, helped another unit out for minutes, and then set course for the return voyage. What I failed to see was something that is usually over looked by most junior grade Marines, two words, or acronyms if you will, SMEAC and BAMCIS.
Swain gave me what he knew to the best of his ability, but he really wasn’t aware of the full situation, he had only received a warning order, or a notification of an upcoming mission. At 10 p.m. on Friday, he had received his full set of orders and worked from there.
“The mission itself was to train our guys and help the (Weapons and Tactics Instructors) out,” said Swain. “I didn’t get any hard info until late in the night, but when I found it out I started putting everything into motion.”
Since his Marines were already well slept and prepared because of the warning order, Swain was able to issue the full order, the “I” in BAMCIS, and have his Marines roll right into preparing the vehicles for the convoy. The motor-t Marines were beginning the execution phase of the mission, this starting an arduous 48 hours.
During the truck convoy to the destination, Swain ran into several bumps, i.e. faulty directions to the destination and slight “on the fly” changes to the original orders received.
“The mission changed,” said Swain. “It was supposed to be an administrative convoy to bring chow and water to (Company K, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment) and be training for my guys. There were issues with low fuel in the trucks and the guys (Company K) were supposed to hike back, but due to time restraints, we convoyed them back.”
Swain's constant supervision was exactly what allowed everything to pull through in the end. We all received water and food, and the trip was a success due to Swain’s comprehension and ability to adhere to his troop leading steps.
“It’s a mission accomplishment thing. Things may shift, but we make it happen,” said Swain.
Now I myself have been receiving classes about this very subject from for mentioned 2nd Lieutenant Timothy Irish. He and Staff Sgt. Ryan Smith explained to me that the more I learn about the subject, the more I will see it in practice throughout the Marine Corps. The subject is much more extensive then I would have originally guessed, and I am still receiving those classes.
Maybe next time I am consolidating my thoughts over a cigarette, Lieutenant Irish won’t have to come and remind me of lessons I have already learned. Hopefully those of you who chance across this article might be intrigued to investigate the subject a little bit for yourselves as well.