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3rd MAW embarkation Marines pack essential gear

Marine Corps news

Release Date: 2/12/2004

Story by Sgt. J.L. Zimmer III

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. (Feb. 12, 2004) -- For a normal deployment to the Middle East or any operation the Marine Corps supports, time is valuable to Marines when they are not given much of it to accomplish their mission.

Embarkation Marines from Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3 recently packed and shipped all essential gear for the upcoming deployment to Iraq.

Equipment ranging from computers to printer paper were packed into shipping containers and delivered to port docks to be sent to Iraq.

According to 1st Lt. Jon S. Siracusa, supply and logistics officer, MWHS-3, the headquarters gear was packed and shipped in less than one week.

"The compacted timeline for the embarkation process is what was impressive," said the 25-year-old Paia, Hawaii, native. "The most difficult thing was coordinating the enabler groups."

Enabler groups are small elements of Marines that go forward with supplies and gear to prepare the necessary airfields and mess halls before the main contingent of troops arrive.

"These enabler groups are usually stood up within one week of their deployment and are embarked within that same week," Siracusa said.

Because of the compacted timeline, Marines had to work very quickly.

"We got everything to the port within time limits," said Siracusa. "We achieved all this with limited heavy equipment, limited tractor-trailers and a 'bare bone' staff."

"For this evolution I was able to witness first hand what the embarkers went through for Operation Iraqi Freedom," said Lance Cpl. Teng Lee, a 26-year-old Marysville, Calif., native.

Siracusa said not all things went according to plan.

"Some short fuse items requiring a lot of coordination happened after working hours," he said. "Some things we found out about at the last minute."

One of the key players in the process was Sgt. Alaina J. DioDonet, embarkation chief, MWHS-3, who deployed with the headquarters squadron for the first mission in Iraq."We packed, loaded and shipped 15, 20-foot sea-containers, three high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles and one trailer in less than one week," said the Houston native. "Personnel started packing their gear on a Wednesday and it arrived at the shipping port the following Tuesday."

Now that the embarkation mission is complete, the Marines at supply and logistics can resume their normal day-to-day duties and continue to make requests to have transportation for the Marines and supply MWHS-3 offices.