The 2d Marine Division command staff conducted command, control, and staff training during II Marine Expeditionary Force’s Joint Task Force Exercise, on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Sept. 9-15.
The exercise allowed the Division to perform staff functions and provide leadership to a notional reinforced ground combat element, performing humanitarian assistance actions in a scenario-based training.
The JTFEX 23 provides Marines and Sailors of all specialties, such as logistics, communications, and medical, to coordinate their expertise and provide support and guidance to lower echelon forces.
“Being able to intake, dissect and disseminate information between all of the sections is key to the success of this exercise and the Division’s operation,” said Navy Lt. Tyler Renn, Madison, Alabama native and the Division’s Naval Integration Officer. “Understanding what all the sections do, and what their information requirements is critical to the success of any mission.”
Renn served as one of the watch officers for the command operations center during the exercise. The watch officer is responsible for processing inputs from all the other sections and lower commands, processing it and ensuring it is relayed to all the sections throughout the staff, to allow them to perform their functions.
“I was initially a little nervous. Learning to speak the Marine language is hard enough when communicating with just the staff, but doing so with a large group of very specialized teams is a much larger challenge,” said Renn. “The knowledge of processing information and sharing it with other supporting sections was key to our success during the scenario.
The division is currently developing future training opportunities to maintain and refine procedure to prepare the staff for any contingency operation anywhere around the world.
“Joint Task Force Exercise 23 was developed to demonstrate proficiency in the command and control of a joint force in a crisis response role.” Col. Daniel J. Gaskell, assistant chief of staff, G-3, 2d Marine Division
“Being always ready isn’t something that just happens overnight. It takes continuous practice through tough, realistic training like JTFEX 23 to ensure we’re ready to execute across the competition continuum when called.”
