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VMGR-234 completes African Lion deployment

US Marine Corps News

6/26/2008 By Sgt. Beth Zimmerman Still, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 234

NAVAL AIR STATION-JOINT RESERVE BASE FORT WORTH, Texas — The last of a detachment of Marines from Fort Worth, Texas-based Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 234 returned on June 25 from a deployment to Kenitra, Morocco, for bilateral training with the Moroccan Royal Air Force.

Exercise African Lion 08 included members from several different branches of U.S. and Moroccan military conducting both air and ground training. According to Master Sgt. Andrzej Wyszynski, VMGR-234’s senior enlisted Marine for the deployment, the “Rangers,” who fly the KC-130T Hercules, conducted low-level formation flying with Moroccan KC-130s and aerial refueling with Moroccan F-5s.

“Just being able to do joint operations is a great thing, we get a lot of satisfaction training with these guys,” Wyszynski said. The deployment offered “time to interact with another country’s military and see how they operate and learn what they do – and they can learn from us.”

The squadron’s capability for aerial refueling provided invaluable training for the Moroccans, who are scheduled to receive in-flight refueling systems for their aircraft later this year, according to Gunnery Sgt. Stephon Stollfus, who deployed with the squadron’s maintenance control section.

“For the most part, the Moroccans try to learn from us,” Stollfus said. Some of the Moroccans flew in the squadron’s Hercules as it refueled the Moroccan F-5s – a close and personal view of what they’ll need to do to accomplish their mission when they have refueling capabilities, Stollfus said.

The exercise also provided a learning opportunity for members of VMGR-234, according to Stollfus. “Our Marines get to see what other countries have to use as far as equipment and facilities,” he said. “They get to compare…and I hope they come away with a better understanding on why we do things the way we do.”