MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. --
Marine
Reservists with Combat Logistics Battalion 453, out of San Jose, Calif., served
a long weekend aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., touring the
facility and building relationships, starting Thursday Feb. 18.
To ensure that their Marines maintain
Military Occupational Specialty credibility, Major Elizabeth Perez, commanding
officer and her counterpart on active duty, and others in the chain-of-command,
decided that visiting a base such as MCLB Barstow would provide a great opportunity
to get hands-on experience with what their warfighters would do on a daily
basis if activated, said Chief Warrant Officer Victor Jensen, company
operations officer and distribution management officer.
“Marines can build relationships and see
what you’ve got here,” said Jensen.
Gunnery Sgt. Michael Voorhees, operations
chief for MCLB Barstow, set up tour rotations, separating the Marines into
groups. The tours included visits to
Production Plant Barstow’s maintenance facilities, railway operations,
warehouses, barracks and general operations.
“The Rail Operations Training Course provides
MOS specific training to the DMO (Distribution Management Office) Reservists of
CLB 453,” Said Chad Hildebrandt, supervisor of Railway Operations for Marine
Corps Installations West aboard MCLB Barstow. “This is important not only as it
fulfills their T&R (Training and Readiness) Training requirements, but in
addition it provides a the ability for this unit to support their hierarchy
command of active duty units in the event they need to mobilize and support.
Marines are Marines, whether they are active duty or reservists, and by
training all Marines to the same standard, it increases and solidifies the
Marine Corps’ ability to efficiently and effectively conduct Logistics
Operations and Support.”
“If we get activated to augment active duty
forces, it will be to work in cargo and freight mostly,” said Jensen. “The more
training, the better.”
In addition, the reservists may find
opportunities to assist with future rotations and exercises, thereby gaining
additional experience, explained Jensen.
“The Marines of CLB 453 approached this
training with true professionalism and zeal as you would expect any Marine
Corps unit to do,” said Hildebrandt. “They were a true pleasure to have aboard
MCLB Barstow and I hope to see them return for more training in the
future."
-30-