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Khaan Quest '03 kicks off

Marine Corps News

Release Date: 8/28/2003

Story by Cpl. Michael Darbouze

ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA(Aug. 29, 2003) -- Marines deployed to Mongolia, for the first time in the history of the Marine Corps, August 18 in support of Khaan Quest '03.

Khaan Quest '03 is a bilateral interoperability exercise between Marines and the Mongolian Armed Forces (MAF) with an emphasis on non commissioned officer (NCO) development and Peace Keeping Operations (PKO).

Maj. John C. Osborne Jr., officer in charge, Khaan Quest '03, said the first phase of the exercise will be an exchange of physical fitness programs from Mongolia's fitness instructors and instructors from the Far East Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP). The MCMAP instructors will also conduct classroom instructions focusing on NCO development.

" The (MAF) doesn't really have a staff NCO structure," said the San Antonio native. "They have NCOs and officers, but their NCOs aren't necessarily there for leadership.

They are just more technically proficient than the other soldiers. Part of the NCO development piece is to show them how we bridge the gap from the NCO to the officer."

Master Sgt. Shane T. Franklin, director, Far East Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, said martial arts, physical fitness and NCO development go hand-in- hand.

"Martial arts and physical training (PT) are a tool for the NCO to develop leadership skills," Cincinnati native said. "By leading PT and martial arts, the NCO is setting his/herself up as an example. It's also allowing the NCO to teach skills to the servicemembers. The more practice you have teaching skills and leading, the more confident one will become in their ability to lead and take charge."

Franklin said he is looking forward to teaching the Mongolians, but he is anticipating learning from them as well.

"I'm interested in seeing how they implement their resources and possibly getting different ideas from their physical training that we may be able to use in our own programs," Franklin said.

Khaan Quest '03 will move into the second phase of training when the MAF and MCMAP instructors complete their first phase training. The second phase will consist of classroom and field training that builds on tactics, techniques and procedures imperative for peace keeping operations according to Osborne.

The MAF unit receiving training during the second phase will be replacing a Mongolian peacekeeping unit, currently deployed to Afghanistan, in December. The Marines will teach the unit peace keeping operations such as check point, patrolling, immediate action drills, riot control and more.

Osborne said the Mongolian servicemembers will receive a vast amount of knowledge, but the Marine Corps will gain a lot of incite by taking part in this exercise as well.

"I believe anytime we work with another country's military, it enhances our war fighting capabilities," Osborne said. "It also enhances the relationships between our countries, and gives us a better understanding of how other countries conduct their military training and the equipment they have."

He added that by conducting training with this peacekeeping unit, his unit is setting itself up for future success should situations arise.

"We could just as easily be the Marine detachment in Iraq with (MAF) on our flank," Osborne explained. "The better we understand some of these countries-in this case the Mongol's, the better team. If we were to be along side them in a peace keeping operation we have a better understanding on what to expect."

Osborne said the goal at the end of the training evolution is for Marine and Mongolia forces to display proficiencies in leadership skills and peacekeeping interoperability as well as foster increased goodwill and establish a foundation for the future.