PANZER KASERNE, Germany -- Marine Forces Europe and Marine Forces Africa established a headquarters company here, June 17. The Marines and Sailors of the two separate commands here will be filed under one company that will have one company commander and senior enlisted staff noncommissioned officer who will be responsible for training, morale, fitness and troop welfare.
The MarForEur and MarForAf Headquarters Company main purpose is to improve efficiencies in the lives of the Marines here by consolidating local operational, administrative, logistical and several other functions that support the two commands into one responsible command element.
“It is important to have this level of leadership that’s totally focused on our Marines and their families,” said Brig. Gen. Paul W. Brier, deputy commander of MarForEur and MarForAf. “Establishing a headquarters company was one of the first things Lt. Gen. John M. Paxton (Commander MarForAf) and Lt. Gen. Dennis J. Hejlik (Commander MarForEur) wanted to do once they took command, and we are fulfilling their request.”
Brier stressed that this was an important improvement because the large area of operations served by the commands here cause him and other members of the command to travel constantly. Now, he said the Marines will have the support of a command element that will always be here in Germany.
“We are going to enable the operational elements here to focus on the exercises occurring on the continents of Europe and Africa,” said Gunnery Sgt. Andre Cuthbertson, the first sergeant of Headquarters Company MarForEur, MarForAf. “There will always be someone here to attack all administrative issues that may arise.”
Cuthbertson served as an acting first sergeant before with the 12th Marine Regiment for a year in 2009. He views his new role as a great opportunity to the put the Marines here first and plans to utilize his past experiences so that the MarForEur and MarForAf Headquarters Company will be able to hit the ground running.
“We will help the Marines get everything they need done quicker,” said Cuthbertson.
From annual training to career planning, the headquarters company’s command element will assist the Marines here with support in a wide variety of roles.
“We are conducting a seamless transition of the local command functions,” said Maj. Robert Cano, the commanding officer of Headquarters Company MarForEur, MarForAf. “We have removed a layer of bureaucracy and made it so basic administraive requirements can get done more quickly.”
“Building a new organization from the ground up requires unique challenges,“ added Cano. “Especially since we are supporting two component commanders, but we are looking forward to the challenge.”