NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA, Va. -- Marines and Sailors assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 365 (Reinforced) arrived aboard Naval Air Station Oceana Feb. 24, assuming their role as the Aviation Combat Element of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in its integrated Training in an Urban Environment Exercise held in the Norfolk, Va. area.
The TRUEX represents the first time during the MEU pre-deployment training schedule that the ACE has deployed together and comes in the midst of a full-scale, more than 2,000-strong Leatherneck invasion of a state-side urban environment intended to prepare Marines and Sailors for their role in support of global contingencies, said Lt. Col. Robert S. Barr, HMM-365 (rein.) commanding officer.
“It’s time to refine the basics and become as efficient and professional in our tasks as possible,” said Barr. “We’ve set the standard since day one and started out on the right foot. This is the first time we’ve all come together and we need to operate as a cohesive team and integrate every asset.”
According to Maj. Christopher C. Abrams, HMM-365 (rein.) tactics and plans officer, the TRUEX is shaped by real-time intelligence and situations that Marines and Sailors could face during overseas deployment and uses that information as a guide to place troops in high-value scenario training exercises such as emergency reclamations, the tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel, casualty evacuations and airborne raids.
“We have to train the way in which we expect to fight,” explained Abrams. “These are real-world evolutions laid over the Norfolk area and the STX’s are the purpose of TRUEX.”
“Urban combat by its very nature is unpredictable,” added Maj. Michael S. Reed, HMM-365 (rein.) operations officer. “This is an opportunity for us to train in a volatile environment and we’ll have to learn to adjust.”
TRUEX plans call for the ACE to complete approximately 635 flight hours and will place its Marines in Sailors in a deployment mentality with around the clock operations that have the squadron providing aviation support in virtually every facet of the exercise – similar to missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, said Barr.
“Iraq is our toughest mission and our toughest challenge and that’s what TRUEX is all about,” said Barr. “We’ll provide unparalleled fire and movement support to the Marine Air/Ground Task Force (MAGTF) and work as one team in one fight. Remember our motto is ‘second to none.’”
Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 365 (Reinforced) is scheduled to deploy this spring to the European and Central Command theaters of operations as the Aviation Combat Element of the 24th MEU, which is composed of its Command Element; Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment; and MEU Service Support Group 24.