MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. -- Railway Operations continues to expand its course offerings to other services aboard the Yermo Annex of Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., throughout 2017.
The original 80-hour course was first offered in the Marine Corps Training Information Management System in January 2015 with the first class graduating in February 2015. Since that time, 23 classes have graduated from the course, including 670 personnel.
One of the most recent additions includes Special Operations Forces Railhead Training Course which was developed in conjunction with the Army’s United States Special Operations Command. The team has also developed a new course in OCONUS (Outside Contigous United States) rail movement, working with U.S. Army counterparts in Korea and Europe.
“We’ve also added Mobile Training Teams to our repertoire,” said Chad Hildebrandt, Railway Operations supervisor. “This gives us the ability to send a highly qualified team of trainers to a unit, wherever they may be, to conduct training on site.”
The goal is to maintain a six to 10 person deployable team to be subject matter experts on Rail Operations worldwide. They serve as instructors at the school house located aboard MCLB Barstow and they can deploy to assist in Rail Operations with Marine Expeditionary Force units anywhere in the world.
The training offers students classroom training, then the ability to practice what they have learned with hands-on experience on railcars. Students then pass a practical application portion of examinations by demonstrating their knowledge to staff and peers. The course is offered to all branches of service.
“Through the hard work of several Marines and Civilian Marines, we have been operating this course for four years and have provided detailed training to service members from the Marine Corps, the U.S. Army, multiple reserve components, National Guard units, and civilian personnel,” Hildebrandt said. “This is the only school house in the Department of Defense that teaches Intermediate and Advanced Railway Operations courses, as well as the Collective Training required for units in the T&R Manual. If anyone, in any branch of service, needs training in RailOps, they contact us and we get them on the training schedule.”
MCLB Barstow is recognized as home to the largest throughput railhead within the Department of Defense. This unique situation allows for a steady flow of railcars on which to hone skillsets.
“When I went through the course it didn’t feel like a course it felt like a mission,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Espinoza, Landing Support chief, Combat Logistics Battalion 24, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. “An Army unit just happened to be moving all of their equipment through the depot at the time. This really helped the class to get hands on training and feel that urgency of accomplishing the mission in a timely manner to meet a deadline.”
Two of the many benefits of using rail to transport equipment is logistical efficiency and cost savings. By shipping equipment via railcars rather than other modes of transportation, the DoD saves millions of dollars per year.
“This course helped my team to properly execute railhead operations and complete an essential mission for multiple units supporting Weapons and Tactics Instructors course at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma,” Espinoza said. “This operation saved the using units hundreds of thousands of dollars and was the first major rail operation to come out of Yuma, Arizona in ten years. I highly recommend this course for Logistics Marines. It’s great knowledge for the Marines, as well as providing units a cost effective option when moving large forces over distance.”
The training team and crew provide a wide spectrum of training to ensure that each student receives a fully functional skillset which they can use immediately upon return to their home unit.
“The program is constantly updated to keep students on the leading edge of training,” Hildebrandt added, “providing for the 04XX and 31XX (Logistics and Supply Administration) communities something that they are unable to obtain anywhere else within the DOD.”
One key aspect of the training is forcing students, or “yellow hats,” so named for the yellow hard hats they wear during training, to take leadership roles. It ensures that they know the material, the standards and procedures so well that they are able to teach it to someone else.
“Our Soldiers were forced to make decisions on ground while tasked with instructing the rotational training unit in proper operating procedures on the railhead,” said Army Lieutenant Conner Farley, Executive and Mobility officer, 152nd Movement Control Team, 4th Sustainment Brigade. “ The ‘Yellow Hats’ were seen as the subject matter experts and had to provide the correct information to their fellow Soldiers from the RTU with confidence, which visibly developed each of their leadership-ability.”
Hildebrandt and his team of experts also provide a wide variety of support to the Marine Corps such as unit level training in accordance with Training and Readiness standards.
“The unit's collective understanding of the content covered in this course is paramount to successfully training in our overall mission essential tasks as we move forward to conduct rail head operations at home and abroad,” Farley said. “We have a confidence about us, derived from the hands-on instruction and diligence of the instructors that will allow us to be successful on any railhead in the world. Undoubtedly, we will reach back to Chad and his team for future training and as a source of information, knowing they are always ready to provide support.”
Their support also extends to mission critical testing and as well as logistical planning and coordination. They are the only facility within the Marine Corps that can provide Rail Impact Test Training to MARCORSYSCOM (Marine Corps Systems Command). They also routinely provide detailed mission planning assistance across the enterprise in regards to strategic logistics and rail operations support.
This attention to detail and focus on service and support, locally or in any field or theater, is why Railway Operations on MCLB Barstow are the proud recipients of multiple awards to include an award from Headquarters Marine Corp, spearheaded by Master Gunnery Sergeant John Freitag, occupational field sponsor, as Center for Excellence for Rail Operations Individual and Collective Training, 2016. As part of his recommendation for the award, Freitag stated: “For units wishing to become proficient and effective in Rail operations, there are no higher standards than what is taught at MCLB Barstow. If one can learn it here in Barstow, one can execute it anywhere!"
Another award is the Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence, and this was the first time MCLB Barstow has receive this award.
Hildebrandt was honored with Logistician of the Year and Employee of the Year for the Marine Corps, which he credits to his entire team.
“It’s not about me,” Hildebrandt said. “My team is what makes this work! It’s their hard work, dedication to excellence in everything they do that makes this installation, to include Railway Operations shine.”
The team has also received multiple recognition awards from rotational units. In fact, they have received so many that they have had to become creative in how to display the certificates and plaques.
“Some are really unique and hand crafted out of special wood, while others are really creatively designed certificates,” Hildebrandt said. “They are special to our team though because it recognizes all of their hard work.”
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