Photo By Chief Warrant Officer Justin Pack | Marines stage gear next to the flight line aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, August 22,...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII - Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 completed training at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, August 23, 2014. For the past two months, the squadron participated in both Exercise Rim of the Pacific and unit level training.
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122, nicknamed the “Werewolves,” is currently attached to Marine Aircraft Group 12, stationed aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, as part of the unit deployment program.
“Throughout RIMPAC, we supported Special Purpose MAGTAF III and their Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, with close air support in order for their tactical air control parties to train and for fire support teams to execute the training they needed to do,” said Maj. Roy Nicka, operations officer for VMFA-122. “Once RIMPAC was over, we were able to support the tenant units on Marine Corps Base Hawaii and (Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay) with their training needs.”
That training included defensive maneuvering and defensive air combat maneuvers with both the CH-53D Sea Stallion and AH-1W Super Cobra. The training allowed the helicopter crews to practice their skills in fighting and defending against a fixed wing adversary.
Nicka also added that VMFA-122 supported the Super Cobras from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 with Forward Air Controller Airborne training, which is a mission that requires close air support from fixed wing aircraft.
Also departing Hawaii is a small detachment of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 Marines, who provided support for VMFA-122 during RIMPAC and ULT.
“We tried to send the most qualified individuals out here because RIMPAC is a big deal,” said 1st Lt. Charles Quattrochi, officer-in-charge of the MALS-12 detachment. “With 23 countries involved and a full week of surge operations where VMFA-122 was actually firing ordnance, we did our best to provide the best aviation logistics support we could. We brought subject matter experts from several different work centers and they did very well out here.”
According to VMFA-122 operations, with MALS-12 support, the squadron was able to accumulate more than 475 flight hours and drop 34,000 pounds of ordnance during their time in Hawaii.
The Werewolves are not finished training though. The squadron will continue on to Alaska, where they expect to have more success during their ULT at Eielson Air Force Base.
Alaska will be the squadron’s last destination, before heading home to Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C.
| Date Taken: | 08.26.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.27.2014 21:58 |
| Story ID: | 140600 |
| Location: | KANEOHE, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 94 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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