Latest News from MCB Camp Lejeune

Modular Amphibious Egress Training: the Helo Dunk

Lance Cpl. Jonathan G. Wright, Marine Corps Base

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Although there are a thousand separate noises which surround him, he hears only his shallow breathing as his world is literally turned upside down.  His friends to his left and right grab on to whatever they can in a desperate effort not to be thrown from the steel skeleton, its metal guts spiraling downwards.  A sudden crash throws him from his seat and he lands to the floor, already wet from the flood of water acting as a harbinger to Davey Jones.

That is just one of many personal accounts of Marines and sailors who have conducted Modular Amphibious Egress Training, or more specifically, gone through the Helo Dunk.

An aircraft without wings, rotor or prop is destined to a quick crash, and that is exactly what the Helo Dunk is designed to do.  Looking like a squat shell of a helicopter the contraption lifts trainees above a pool, simulates a helicopter in a death spin and submerges the shell underwater.  Participants then must conduct the proper egress and recovery techniques to exit the shell.

“With this training, you don't necessarily have to know how to swim,” said Ronald Welsh, chief instructor of the Camp Lejeune Training Center.  “The course is designed to let the safety devices aid you in your egress from the aircraft.”

MAET is a two-day long course; the beginning of each day is a four-hour long classroom instruction and reorientation on the types of injuries that may be incurred, various pieces of safety equipment and egress procedures.

The latter half of each day is actual in-the-pool training where participants will undergo individual egress training, first without an underwater breathing apparatus and then with.  Afterward groups of six will enter the shell to conduct the aircraft egress training.

“It looks easier than it really is; your orientation is completely thrown off and you have nothing but your touch to go by,” said Lance Cpl. Joshua DeForrest, assault gunner with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division.  “Every Marine should be required to do this training; you'll be able to react as you should when in an amphibious crash situation.”

Although the MAET simulates proper egress techniques there is still a multitude of factors that can play into an amphibious aircraft crash.  The indoor isolated pool drops the MAET shell at a slow speed and holds the shell underwater just enough for the submerging effect.  In reality the aircraft would undoubtedly fall faster and the speed of submersion is left to the state of the water.

“Sea state dictates how long an aircraft stays afloat and upright,” said Welsh.  “It could be up for a few minutes or start sinking a few seconds after contact.  That is why we also teach a good deal of physics with our classes.”

The physics Welsh alludes to are Boyle's Law and Charlie's Law, wherein both expound upon the physics of compressed air.  Welsh says that a breath of compressed air underwater expands in the lungs as they rise closer to the surface and the water pressure on the lungs lessen.  If not taught proper breathing methods, the expanding air will push out of the lungs and divert to other areas of the body, thus incurring complications.

After all the classes and submersions, participants leave the MAET with not only proper amphibious egress training but also with a greater general experience of aircraft.  After two days of continuous flips and spins underwater, the Marines and sailors build a greater reliance with egress skills as well as a building a platform for any additional aquatic training.

“This training reassures them and makes them more confident in aircrafts now that they know the proper egress procedures,” said Chris Deemer, instructor for the Camp Lejeune Training Center.  “Just teaching it makes me feel better about flying; for these two reasons a lot of the (Marine Expeditionary Units) are making MAET mandatory.”

So the next time a helicopter submerges underwater, instead of panicking place one hand between your legs gripping the seat, reach back with the other to undo the window grommet, push the window out, unbuckle the seatbelt and egress.

1st quarter of culinary competition kicked off at Lejeune's Mess Hall 9

Lance Cpl. Damany S. Coleman, Marine Corps Base

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - This year's Culinary Team of the Quarter competition officially kicked-off Feb. 17 at Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune Mess Hall 9.  Four teams of cooking-contenders clashed representing different mess halls aboard the base to earn bragging rights for the first quarter.

“It was the Brussels sprouts,” people yelled across the mess hall, after Lt. Col. Susan B. Seaman, commanding officer of Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, and Todd Fogel, Camp Lejeune district manager with Sodexo, called out the names of the first place winners of the culinary competition.

Chief cook Tammy Byrd and her apprentice, Victor Terry, both with Camp Johnson's Mess Hall 455, won first place in the competition after a delicious, waist-stretching trial of taste testing and criticism by an elite panel of judges.  The relatively young, two-chef team began their cooking companionship about seven months ago, when they first entered into the Sodexo sponsored competitions.

Their seemingly bad choice of vegetables, Brussels sprouts, was a childhood nightmare for some but proved to be a worthwhile addition and was keyed for the team's success.

Leslie Ware, a spectator, cook and competitor in previous competitions, enjoys her job filling up hungry Marines' bellies, and also, the thrill of the competition.

“I like everything about the competitions,” said Ware.  “Everyone is just trying to get the trophy in their mess hall.  It's a really big thing.  It's exciting to me, very exciting.”

One of the competition's judges, Lt. Col. Carnell Luckett, food service officer with 2nd Marine Logistics Group, shared the specifics of being a judge for one of the tasty events.

“It's kind of difficult, you have to evaluate each dish on its own, and you can't necessarily compare it to the team before them,” said Luckett.  “You have to evaluate the dish as it is and not compare the teams.  In the end when you tally up the score, it will determine who the winner is.  You have to take a lot of things into consideration: taste, texture, appearance and how it was prepared.  All of this is presented on the evaluation sheet.  When you understand that, it becomes a simple process.”

With every delectable detail they could add, Byrd and Terry began their mouth-watering presentation with shrimp Creole crostini as an appetizer, a warm and spicy Louisiana-based delight.

Then came their entre, a savory sausage and mushroom stuffed pork loin with a mushroom demi-glaze, Hoppin' John beans and rice, and a barrage of brown butter bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.

The coup de grace for the meal was a caramel, nut sweet potato pie for dessert.

Along with tasty food, the competition lets the chefs' creativity fly only bound by the available ingredients and their imagination.

“Every 21 days, the same (foods) come out,” said Lance Cpl. Adam Stauffer, food service specialist with Food Service Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group.  “(We prepare) the same breakfast, same lunch and same dinner; It only rotates.  So for us to be able to do something like this where we make our own recipes and do what we want ... it's really nice.”

Stauffer and his partner from his unit, Cpl. Tanette` Clendon, wore black cooking garments and were the only Marine cooks at the competition.  This didn't stop them from 'cooking up a storm' and serving it to the people in attendance.

After the participants filled their bellies and the chefs satisfied their hunger for competition, it was time to clean up the several plates that each person had grabbed earlier and get back to the normal routine.

Byrd and Terry took a moment out of their clean-up ritual to reflect on the day's events and the fact that they previously came second in the event
 
“Getting second place and wanting first place is all the motivation we needed,” said Terry.  “I do think it was the Brussels sprouts (that helped us win).  The other teams had collard greens, so I believe our twist with it took us over the top.  Another thing, our pork, was a little different also.  We had a spiral shape as opposed to the meat with stuffing in the middle.”

Motivation plays a big role in any competition, of course.  But for Byrd, that was only half the battle.  She believes they came out with a win due to one concept: teamwork.

Byrd is seasoned chef with 20 years of experience outside of the military.  However, her partner Terry is relatively new.  Despite the length of time they've been in the field, they both share a strong love for cooking.  This is encouragement for Byrd to mentor Terry as a friend and fellow enthusiast to eventually reach the culinary prowess that's she has achieved over the years.

“Even if it's the last competition, we never look in a book (for recipes),” she said.  “It comes straight from our knowledge as a team.  Especially being in this atmosphere, it's so crazy with our work-hours.  We hardly have any time to practice, so we have to go to each other and trust what we have done.”

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