Hercs move Marines to southern Morocco, prepare for 2nd phase of AFRICAN LION 

Reserve Marine aircrews flying KC-130 Hercules aircraft moved about 300 Marines and sailors of Task Force African Lion from the coastal Moroccan city of Agadir to a training area several hundred miles south May 28.

The U.S. troops debarked the aircraft May 28 in a desolate airfield near Tan Tan and headed out to the Cap Draa training area, where they will conduct a variety of training missions with their Moroccan Army counterparts.   

The movement was part of African Lion 2010, month-long theater security cooperation exercise conducted annually between the U.S. military and Morocco to further develop joint and combined capabilities.

More than a thousand U.S. troops are participating in the exercise. 

About 700 of the reserve Marines and sailors in this year’s African Lion are from Marine Forces Reserve units throughout the United States.

“This is great for our young Marines to experience true military movement,” said First Sgt. Brad Lauer of Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, a Marine Forces Reserve unit based in Chicago, Ill.  “This exercise is all about training, and that includes how Marines get from point A to point B.  This is just another great ride.”

Although the trip was less than 200 miles by air, the drive on a convoy is typically more than six hours, as the two-lane road which navigates the route winds through treacherous mountain passes and numerous towns and villages along the way.

“It’s definitely a comfortable ride,” said Cpl. Antonio R. Ingarra, a radio operator with Headquarters and Service Company, 2/24.  “On one of these (KC-130 aircraft), you can kick back and relax, whereas on a convoy, you have to stay alert.  It’s faster, and it’s more efficient.”

The two Hercules aircraft that ferried the Task Force Marines from Agadir to Tan Tan are from Marine Aerial Refueling Squadron (VMGR) 234, a reserve unit based in Fort Worth, Texas with Marine Aircraft Group 41, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.

The Hercs are here for about two weeks with the primary mission of conducting aerial refueling missions with the Royal Moroccan Air Force.

“At 13 hours it was a long day, especially for the loadmasters,” said KC-130 pilot Maj. Ken Martin, who flew from his base here at Kenitra to make four lifts to ferry troops from Agadir to Tan Tan. 

“When the winds are gusty, as it was, landings are bit more challenging. You’re lining up on final, and with no notice the wind velocity jumps up 10 knots,” said Martin.  “You need to make continuous adjustments.  It was a long day, but it was a routine day for us.  It’s satisfying to develop a plan, execute the plan and see it work.”

A commercial airline pilot in his civilian career, Martin travels from his home town of Rapid City, S.D. to Fort Worth every month to keep up on his military flight hours.  This is the second year in a row that he has participated in African Lion.

“There are more moving parts in this year’s exercise,” explained Martin.  “We still have our primary mission of doing aerial refueling of the Moroccan F5 jets, but this year we’re doing troop movements, as well.”

In addition to transporting a group of U.S. Navy SEABEE construction workers back to their home base in Rota, Spain, VMGR-234 has more than a dozen aerial refueling missions scheduled in the coming days.  Then they’ll fly their aircraft across the Atlantic and back to Texas in mid-June.