Combat Logistics Company 36 of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, arrived here by high-speed vessel March 24 in support of Exercise Foal Eagle 2010.
Exercise Foal Eagle, an exercise demonstrating multinational capabilities aimed toward improving interoperability between the United States and the Republic of Korea, is scheduled to kick off April 18 and conclude April 30.
Also participating in the exercise is Marine Aircraft Group 12, Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadrons 242 and 121, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, Strike Fighter Squadron 94, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 311 and Marine Wing Support Squadron 171.
During the exercise, CLC-36 will be responsible for supporting MWSS-171 as well as providing a postal and disbursing center.
“Our unit’s mission is to support 171 in all operations on the ground side,” said Cpl. William A. Martin, CLC-36 dispatch noncommissioned officer-in-charge. “We support them by providing third-echelon maintenance on heavy equipment and (motor-transportation) gear.”
Given their important role in the exercise, CLC-36 spent weeks preparing before actually departing.
“Before deploying anywhere, we have to make a list of tools and inventory all our gear, make sure the tools are up-to-date and nothing is missing. If any one of these trucks goes down for third-echelon maintenance, say if every (medium tactical vehicle replacement) and (logistics vehicle system) breaks down, pretty much this whole deployment, this whole mission, is at a stand point. They can’t do anything. We pretty much keep the mission up and running,” said Sgt. Joseph Diederich, CLC-36 maintenance chief.
For more than four years, CLC-36 has continued to support the exercise because it has proven to be beneficial training.
“Exercise Foal Eagle gives Marines the opportunity to experience something that many people will never get to experience,” said Martin. “Not only do we get to experience the Korean culture while we’re here, but we also get to interact and cross-train with their military to build a stronger relationship between our nations. That is our overall goal here.”
Aside from gaining knowledge of the Korean culture and improving relations between U.S. forces and ROK forces, Marines and sailors are also benefitting in other ways.
“(Exercises) give the troops a mindset of what it would be like in a combat environment where you don’t have all the resources you have back in the rear. You’re limited to what you have. This way, when (the Marines) actually go on a deployment to Afghanistan or Iraq, they know what to look forward to and are not totally blindsided. They’ll know exactly what they can do,” said Diederich.
The language barrier, along with different customs and courtesies, proves to be the most stressful part of the exercise, but the benefits outweigh the frustrations.
“It’s difficult to communicate with the Koreans, but I’m able to work through things with them because I know how important this exercise is,” said Lance Cpl. Travis Fahsholtz, CLC-36 maintenance. “If anything were to happen in South Korea, we would have to aid in their defense. Foal Eagle prepares us for that.”
Although the exercise is scheduled to conclude April 30, CLC-36 will continue supporting the exercise until May 15.