Al ASAD, Iraq -- Just like a football team’s defense and offense work together to win a game, different parts of the Marine Air Ground Task Force come together to provide support for Marines on the ground.
The air delivery Marines of Transportation Support Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), in coordination with Marine Aerial Refueling Squadron 252 (Reinforced), provided much needed supplies to Combat Outpost Timberwolf, April 21.
“This air drop brings in a great deal of needed supplies without putting people on the roads,” said 2nd Lt. Patrick McElhone, the weapons executive officer for 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment.
The Marines delivered more than 33,400 pounds of supplies, which included water, Meals, Ready-to-Eat and various other supplies.
“We dropped a total of 18 (container delivery systems),” said Staff Sgt. Robb McBride, the air delivery staff noncommissioned officer in charge. “This is what we came out here to do, support the warfighters on the ground.”
The CDS were dropped out of the back of the KC-130J at night to provide better coverage for the aircraft and the Marines on the ground.
“The squadrons like to come in blacked out (without any lights on) because it keeps the threat down,” said McBride. “It’s a little bit harder for us, but we can use (Night Vision Goggles). It is a lot safer for all of us.”
This was the first time that a drop has been done in more than a year, but the air delivery Marines are optimistic about having future drops.
“I think that we are underutilized, because people don’t know about our capabilities,” explained McBride. “This is the tip of the iceberg of what we can do. Hopefully we can get more requests.”
Although this was the first drop in a long time, the Marines feel that the mission was a success.
“It was 100 percent mission accomplishment,” said Cpl. David Ulrich, an air delivery specialist for TS Company, CLB-2. “We got them all their gear without any incidents.”