MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- The 2015 Modern Day Marine Military Expo is
happening at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. Sept. 22-24, 2015.
The
expo is focusing on enhanced capabilities for expeditionary forces with booths
of vendors and features discussion panels, which are new this year.
“I come here to encourage Marines to talk to vendors,” said
Bernard Bledsoe, a Marine veteran and member of the Marine Corps League since
2000. “We have Marines here from a wide range of military occupational
specialties who can tell vendors first-hand what is good and what can be
improved.”
The expo is sponsored by the Marine Corps League.
The Marine Corps League has nearly 70,000 members who are Marine Corps
veterans. This is the 23rd year that MCB Quantico has hosted the expo.
“As soon as I found out the Marine Corps League was
sponsoring these shows, I started volunteering,” said Bledsoe. “The interaction
between the Marines, the actual user [of products and equipment], and the
vendors are absolutely critical to get
the best result from your equipment.”
Each day the exhibit halls are open from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The
importance of the expo is to share information about what Marine Corps
organizations, vendors, manufactures and companies are doing to improve
equipment and technology. The expo gives Marines hands-on experience at the
vendor booths.
“The
importance of the expo is to not only to get information out about what the
Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory is doing but to see what other
organizations and companies are doing,” said Maj. Brad Goldvarg, logistics
combat element branch head of the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. “To see
what other kinds of technologies are out there inside industry, academia and
other military organizations and agencies.”
Discussion panels are taking place each day of the
expo.
“The panels are focusing on innovation,” said Lt.
Gen. Robert Walsh, the deputy commandant of combat development and integration
and commanding general of Marine Corps Combat Development Command. “The intent
is to discuss why, how and where the Marine Corps stands about innovation. The opportunity to bring everything
together is kind of an engine for innovation and an engine for where we are
headed.”
The expo also has a golf tournament, an enlisted
awards parade and grand banquet. The final day of the expo is a family day,
which military and Department of Defense personnel will have the opportunity to
bring their family members, so they can also have hands-on opportunities.