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Corporal Erix Quinteros pulls himself up on a bar while maneuvering the obstacle course at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Feb. 17, 2016. More than 85 noncommissioned officers with Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28 participated in the physical training exercise “Chaos,” which tested their warfighting abilities: strength, communication and dependability. During the training the Marines were put into fire teams where they had to navigate the obstacle course, trek through the combat pool and hike one-mile with a simulated casualty and assault load. The purpose of the event was to build on unit cohesion, esprit de corps and mental and physical resiliency. Quinteros is an automotive maintenance technician with MWCS-28.

Photo by Cpl. U. Roberts

MWCS-28 Marines trek through 'Chaos' to empower NCOs

23 Feb 2016 | Cpl. U. Roberts 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing

Senior leaders and noncommissioned officers with Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28 collaborated on ways to empower their NCOs and after careful deliberation, the leaders came up with “Chaos.”







Through this self-instilled “Chaos” More than 85 NCOs with MWCS-28 accomplished several physical tasks and events that tested the Marines’ warfighting abilities.







The Marines completed the obstacle course in fire teams. Then, the Marines completed a one-mile hike with an assault load that included a simulated casualty, followed by a trek through the combat pool ultimately, shaping up to embody the whole Marine concept.







“The purpose of the event was to get the NCOs together and build unit cohesion within the squadron by doing [physical training] together,” said Sgt. Bryan Dietterick, an automotive maintenance technician with the squadron. “I believe this was effective because you get everyone from the different companies with different [military occupational specialties] coming together, spreading knowledge, sharing stories and talking about things while participating in different events.”







The NCOs within the squadron participate in group physical training sessions once a month that is tailored by their senior leadership to challenge them. The previous session was a high intensity tactical training circuit that tested the Marines’ mental ability to act under pressure and their physical ability to accomplish a labor intensive task while focusing on effective communication.







“It is important to have communication throughout the NCO corps because if one of us is weak then we all are weak,” said Dietterick. “We have to be able to depend on each other.”







While “Chaos” was created by the NCOs within the unit, staff noncommissioned officers provided oversight and led the Marines in guided discussions to explain the importance of being an exemplary NCO.







“We all have to work as a team,” said Staff Sgt. James Miller, a refrigeration and air conditioning technician with MWCS-28. “If we can’t help each other overcome the obstacles that we face as a team then we are going to fail as a team.”







Miller stressed that now is the perfect time for the Marines to hone in on their communication skills because being in a deployed environment is different from garrison and communication is far more important.







“If the Marines pick up early on genuine care and concern for the Marines that they work for and work with, they are going to set themselves up for success,” said Miller.

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2nd Marine Aircraft Wing