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'Bengals' roar at Desert Talon

Marine Corps News

Story Identification #: 20041213124841
Story by Cpl. Rocco DeFilippis

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. (Dec. 13, 2004) -- More than 185 Marines and sailors from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron-224 (All Weather) came to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma for Exercise Desert Talon, a two-week training regiment that prepares units and squadrons for deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Working specifically on integration between other fixed and rotary wing aircraft and coordination with units on the ground, the Bengals of VMFA(AW)-224 got a small taste of how things will run once they get to Iraq.

“Desert Talon gives us an opportunity to interact with a lot of the units we will be working and living with once we get to Iraq,” said 1st Lt. Michael Greene, squadron information services officer and a native of New Burg, N.Y. “Besides the actuall training, coordination with air ground controllers and interaction with convoys -- the Marines are getting used to conditions and challenges they will face in country.”

With three squadrons working out of a space not quite large enough for one, the maintenance, ordnance, power lines and administrative Marines learned how to overcome space issues and work together as a team to accomplish the mission.

“For the most part we function well as a whole, but you always run into little problems,” said Lance Cpl. Jermal H. Matthias, maintenance administrative clerk and a native of Norfolk, Va. “Being here at Desert Talon gives us an idea of what to expect so that when these issues come up, we are prepared to handle them and keep things running smooth.”

While the focus of much of the training during Desert Talon is on the integration of air and ground forces, the exercise provides invaluable training specific to the jobs and situations Marines are facing in OIF.

“What we have done is put together a training package that very closely resembles what they are going to see in Iraq,” said Col. Jon Davis, commanding officer of Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1, the squadron responsible for coordinating and conducting all Desert Talon training. “So when our pilots, forward air controllers and convoy commanders get to Iraq, it won’t be brand-new to them and they can be successful.”

For most VMFA(AW)-224 Marines, the job doesn’t change much: same thing, different location. However, the environment of the Arizona desert and the simulation of real-world flight operations is invaluable.

“(Desert Talon) really gets you mentally prepared to deploy,” said Lance Cpl. Nick Vater, aviation mechanic and a native of Cold Spring, Ky. “Even though our jobs don’t change, we have to be prepared to work in any and every environment.”