Deployments post Afghanistan

[MightyMax56]

I was hoping some of the saltier Marine officers could chime in on here about how the deployment cycle and general work/family life in-between them are. After reading the Navy thread about them http://www.airwarriors.com/community/index.php?threads/carrier-deployments.39706/ I was hoping that we could have something similar where the more experienced officers could give advice on what they would do differently or wish they had know more before they started their career.

 

[Renegade One]

I was hoping some of the saltier Marine officers could chime in on here ...

I hope they do. From my position as an admitted "observer" of Marines for much of my adult life, I'll just say that the Corps seems predisposed to doing everything "harder and longer" than any other device. If the Army tour length to a combat zone is 12 months, you can be sure the Marines will opt for 13 months. If an "Expeditionary Navy Squadron" commitment is 6 months in the sandbox, a Marine squadron will deploy for seven. If "everyone else" is living in what one might only describe as "best available expeditionary quarters", the Marines will put you under canvas.
"Longer and harder" seems to mean something to the Corps. Maybe that's a good thing...I dunno. I remain very, very happy that they're on "our side". Semper Fi...

 

[MIDNJAC]

I remain very, very happy that they're on "our side". Semper Fi...

Fully agree

 

[sodajones]

We've been doing 7 month deployments while the Army has been pumping 12+ months standard. I agree that we make things harder on ourselves than need be but deployment length has been one exception.

Obviously, who knows what the future has in store for us.

 

[81montedriver]

I'm just nearing the end of my first deployment which is as a Herc det on a MEU. In 6months we have moved 7 times between 4 different bases not including being sent home for a brief period and getting called back out. Our living conditions have ranged from squad bays to cans to tents. The flying has ranged from balls to the wall flying to wanting to pull my hair out on standby. The standby months, I would have flown more at home. I've spent time on an LHD as well. All in all I've landed in at least 10 different countries.

Would I choose going to OEF over the MEU if I had to do it all over again? In a heartbeat. On the MEU we never knew where we would be or what we would be doing more than 24-48 hours out. In addition, if you get fucked with standby, you won't be flying much and you will be working towards planning for contingencies that most likely won't happen because of the level of approval they require. In the end, most of the work you do gets cancelled and you have nothing to show for it. You are also typically not in a combat zone so almost no chance for a combat FITREP or air medals.

In OEF, my peers knew where they were going and for how long. They lived in one area for 7months. They flew their balls off for 7 months coming back with a shit ton of hours and a hell of a lot more experience. At the same time they got combat FITREPs and earned air medals.

Once again this is from a Herc perspective as I'm sure each platform has their particular views. When I get home I'm basically going to give a testicle to get on OEF for the next deployment because after next year there probably won't be an OEF. Otherwise I'll miss out on combat experience. And if I could avoid getting on another MEU in the future I'll avoid it as much as possible.

 

[Renegade One]

We've been doing 7 month deployments while the Army has been pumping 12+ months standard. I agree that we make things harder on ourselves than need be but deployment length has been one exception...

I'm just nearing the end of my first deployment which is as a Herc det on a MEU. In 6months we have moved 7 times between 4 different bases not including being sent home for a brief period and getting called back out. Our living conditions have ranged from squad bays to cans to tents. The flying has ranged from balls to the wall flying to wanting to pull my hair out on standby. The standby months, I would have flown more at home. I've spent time on an LHD as well. All in all I've landed in at least 10 different countries.

Would I choose going to OEF over the MEU if I had to do it all over again? In a heartbeat. .. And if I could avoid getting on another MEU in the future I'll avoid it as much as possible.

Two very, very relevant responses from guys with current info and skin in the game. doesn't get any better than that.

P.S.: I love Hercs...here's "Hands" Handley's usual C-130 story:
" When in 1959 I graduated from F-86 upgrade training and was unceremoniously assigned to an airbase in France to fly the four-engined C-130A Hercules ...
I was ready to cut my heart out...
Years later and far wiser, I realize how misguided my perceptions were at that time. Memories of the C-130 mission, the people, and the aircraft itself are indelibly etched in my mind’s eye. It was my distinct privilege and honor to fly this classic bird, which will surely go into the history books as the greatest prop-driven cargo aircraft of all time. The following incident is but one example of many that changed my initial imprudent disappointment to a genuine and lasting admiration . . for this truly magnificent airplane.



As I accumulated time in the Herc, my appreciation for its astonishing performance steadily increased. Not only was it brutally powerful. But surprisingly maneuverable as well. Although not authorized, rolls in the C-130 were easily performed as long as the nose was well up before beginning the maneuver. Part of its mission capability was the “tactical pattern,” which replicated the 360-degree overhead pattern flown by fighters. I particularly enjoyed landing out of this pattern and could consistently “roll it onto the numbers” in well underone minute, after the fighter pilot break over the landing runway's touch-down numbers. Other tactical maneuvers in its arsenal included the “assault takeoff and landing”, both designed for operations from short, unprepared fields under combat conditions.When these maneuvers were performed ' by the book ' they were impressive. But when they were embellished through various techniques and light gross weights, they were outright spectacular.
[ As a matter of fact, a certain VERTICAL TAKEOFF FOLLOWED BY A 200 FT. LANDING ROLL I demonstrated at a major air show, was enough to facilitate my immediate return to a fighter squadron. But that’s another story.]
The aircraft’s positive G limit was easily sustained in the dense air below about 16,000 feet. And when combined withan incredibly low ' corner velocity ' [ the speed at which the aircraft is capable of making its quickest, tightest turn'] its turn radius was minuscule as compared with that of a much faster, but more heavily wing-loaded fighter. I was convinced that were I attacked by an enemy fighter, my best course of action would be to get as low as possible to deny the attacking fighter the bottom half of vertical maneuvering room. Then use the Herc’s superior turning radius to cause the Sabre to “ overshoot” the 4-engine Hercules during the fighter's attacking pursuit curve.
My chance to test the theory came while cruising with only light cargo down an airway over the Mediterranean Sea, when an Italian F-86 jock apparently decided it would be fun to make mock gun passes on a “ sitting duck.” After watching a couple of his “ curves of pursuit ” from my left cockpit window, I asked and received clearance from Rome Control for a ' block ' of altitude from 15,000 to 22,000 feet. As the Italian rolled-in off his gunnery ' perch ' high and above me to the left, I began a left, descending turn toward him at full throttle to gain airspeed for a pull-up. By the time he reached mid-point down the slide and reversed into his curve of pursuit, I was still well below his altitude… But my nose was now above the horizon… his was still buried… and I was really beginning to “ jam ” him by an increasing tight left turn.
In a vain attempt to stay on the inside of my turn, the Italian extended his speed brakes and pulled his power to idle.Instantly, I pulled hard into him and angled up about 30 degrees. The fighter pilot badly overshot to vulnerably flush to the outside of our turn.I rotated the C-130 into a nose high 360 degree roll ' over the top.' Now inside the F-86 Sabre's turn, I pulled a hunter's ' lead '. . and fired the C-130's ' imaginary ' guns into his path. And for a brief, shining moment, the 4-engine ' Herc ' sat squarely at the F-86's ' Six '. . before he accelerated quickly away.
As I climbed back up to 22M, the Italian repositioned a mile or so to our left, then slowly slid his Sabre into formation off our left wing. After removing his oxygen mask, he flashed a big Italian smile, gave us a ' thumbs up ' signal, then quickly rotated into a vertical Split-S . . to zoom down and away.
V/R, "Hands" Handley [Source : Adapted from his book : " Nickel On The Grass"]

 

[pourts]

Hornet guys have been doing 6+ month Westpac deployments since long before 9/11, and will continue to do them for many years to come. Got to get those Osan specials somehow.

 

[Brett327]

Hornet guys have been doing 6+ month Westpac deployments since long before 9/11, and will continue to do them for many years to come. Got to get those Osan specials somehow.

You guys still going to Iwakuni for that? I guess the Growlers are in Misawa now instead of Iwakuni. Not exactly sure why, as it doesn't exactly mesh with certain OPLANs.

 

[Harrier Dude]

You guys still going to Iwakuni for that? I guess the Growlers are in Misawa now instead of Iwakuni. Not exactly sure why, as it doesn't exactly mesh with certain OPLANs.

I'm guessing that it's maintenance related, mainly I-level.

Harriers go to Iwakuni/Kadena/Das Boot/wherever the MEU goes.

I've never heard a KC-130 guy talk about "when he was with the MEU" before.

I find that highly amusing.

 

[Brett327]

I'm guessing that it's maintenance related, mainly I-level.

Harriers go to Iwakuni/Kadena/Das Boot/wherever the MEU goes.

I've never heard a KC-130 guy talk about "when he was with the MEU" before.

I find that highly amusing.

Yeah, I wondered about that WRT the Hercs. As for the Growlers, there's really only a couple things MX-wise I can think of that would distinguish a G from an A-D Hornet. Then again, when I was there with Prowler squadrons, we brought our own I-level folks, per usual. I'll have to ask my sources about that.

 

[pourts]

You guys still going to Iwakuni for that? I guess the Growlers are in Misawa now instead of Iwakuni. Not exactly sure why, as it doesn't exactly mesh with certain OPLANs.

For the most part. As with all Marine activities over there: more Guam, less Okinawa.

 

[Brett327]

For the most part. As with all Marine activities over there: more Guam, less Okinawa.

I know it's a complex political dynamic on Oki WRT the Marines, especially given the second class citizen status the Okinawans tend to get, but it's interesting that they're building up Iwakuni (and spending a lot of Yen) to increase USN presence there, where the locals tend to be more accepting.

 

[81montedriver]

I've never heard a KC-130 guy talk about "when he was with the MEU" before.

I find that highly amusing.

I'm not sure how far back it started but since I've been in the community it's been a regular thing. Also, since we deploy as dets and not an entire squadron, we typically have simultaneously had a 4 plane det supporting OIF/OEF and a 2 plane det supporting the 22/24/26 MEU's year round in addition to the squadron conducting their tasking from 2MAW back home. It wasn't uncommon to meet people for the first time after having been in the squadron for almost a year.

The MEU Det is typically comprised of 2 aircraft plus 45 Marines. One of the pilots will spend time on the ship acting as the KC-130 LNO. This pilot will work mostly with the MEU AirO and ACE OPSO in an advisory role as to our capabilities. We will base in a location near the ship and will typically conduct FW/TR/HAAR in support of the ACE. In addition, we add a ton of flexibility with our range to conduct Logistical Runs to wherever the MEU needs. When I mentioned that we flew our balls off was during 2 training exercises, African Lion and Eager Lion. However the more typical mission has been TRAP standby. Some MEU's have ended up doing some cool shit just because they were at the right place at the right time, while others have finished their time without doing anything significant.

 

[phrogpilot73]

I'm not sure how far back it started but since I've been in the community it's been a regular thing.

I think you missed the humor in HD's post. I didn't. KC-130's have been doing MEU support for quite some time - but he was referring to KC-130 guys saying "when I was on the MEU" - while they were staying in some pimped-out joint, drawing per diem - OCCASIONALLY flying in support of the MEU. As opposed to Harrier/Cobra/Huey/Phrog/Osprey/Shitter guys stuck on the ship, flying their balls off, OCCASIONALLY getting off the ship for an exercise/port call.

Good example - 26 MEU, circa 2003. Humanitarian support in Liberia. We had been flying there for quite some time, and have since realized that the rebel factions loved the US, and only hated the GOL. They were no threat to us, whatsoever. Roberts International Airport had Lima Battery acting as a QRF, and a battalion of Nigerians protecting the outer perimeter (complete overkill) and I was supposed to do a tail-to-tail transfer with a KC-130.

When they landed, me and my co-pilot were enjoying a cigarette in the cockpit, one crewchief was sitting on the crew door, and the other was racked out on the ramp. After the C-130 taxiied in next to us, all their aircrew hop out of their aircraft, with shotguns and set up a 360 perimeter - doing their best to look menacing. And they were serious.

We laughed. And made a comment over interflight that we had to cut them some slack, because they were accustomed to the Club Med in Dakar, Senegal (literally, that's where the C-130 det was staying) and Liberia was WAY different.

Meanwhile, once the tail-to-tail was done - we headed back to the ship, dropped off the mail & parts, then headed back out to do another mission to the embassy. While the C-130 guys who were "with the MEU" flew back to Senegal and endured their time at the Club Med. We went back to the ship, and were excited that midrats had reheated sliders from lunch.

So yeah, that's kinda what HD was referring to (I think).

Some MEU's have ended up doing some cool shit just because they were at the right place at the right time, while others have finished their time without doing anything significant.

That's pretty much the case for ANYONE on the MEU, just not C-130 guys...

 

[Ralph]

Marine hornet guys deploying on carriers? Herc life sounds nice except the one guy on the boat, did he draw the short straw.