Exercise Tests Marines’ Air Crash Response, Security Skills

By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Joseph Abrego

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan, March 27, 2017 — Marines assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 conducted exercise Tanuki Wrath here, March 21-24, 2017.

The exercise is the capstone event for MWSS-171’s annual training plan, and serves as a building block for increasing squadron proficiency in aircraft salvage and recovery and forward command and control.

“We pulled all elements of 171 for this exercise,” said Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Ysac Perez, the air base ground defense staff noncommissioned officer in charge of MWSS-171. “From motor transportation providing us vehicles, headquarters squadron providing us weapon systems and engineers with all the equipment needed to conduct a walking position.”

By utilizing all elements of MWSS-171, the exercise assessed various components of the squadron’s responsibilities associated with a downed aircraft in a garrison or hostile environment.

“It benefited us to do it at home on the air station,” Perez said. “We learned the best response routes and obstacles that have to be overcome. MWSS-171 has to be prepared to conduct a recovery mission in this area of operation.”

Training Plan

The basics for the Marines undergoing the training were to cordon a crash site, guide bystanders and provide security.

“I expected my Marines to be able to do their job,” said Marine Corps Sgt. Daniel Feeney, the squad leader for motor transportation with MWSS-171. “It’s important that when called upon they can tactically and efficiently execute and show that we are the nation’s force in readiness.”

Along with the junior Marines, key leaders in the exercise also increased their knowledge and gathered lessons learned from the training to pass to their companies and train their Marines.

“One of the best things I’m taking away from this is maintaining the basics and keeping it simple,” Feeney said. “When Marines remember those things while there are a million other things going on, it helps keep them focused and [to] successfully complete the task at hand. By doing just that it makes our squadron better as a whole.”

The Marines performed well during the exercise, Perez said.

“The exercise benefits the air station by giving clarity and comfort to the commanding officer,” he said. “It shows him that we are capable of completing our mission efficiently and professionally.”