KUWAIT NAVAL BASE, Kuwait -- KUWAIT NAVAL BASE, Kuwait (Oct. 2, 2007) – As Marines of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit returned to sea, the embarkation Marines were responsible for getting the unit’s personnel and equipment ready for the voyage home.
The process was much like a puzzle, with each person in the embark section holding a separate but equally important piece that came together in the end to make a masterpiece of movement. They shared the responsibility of moving more than 2,000 Marines and Sailors, vehicles, weapons and heavy equipment, but the unique attributes of each Marine have created a proven recipe for smooth operations.
After the plans for movement were finalized by the MEU staff, the embark non-commissioned officers from the MEU gathered information of all equipment that needed to be moved.
The MEU command element’s embark NCO, Sgt. Jason Lovett has a “perfectionist” personality which shines through when assembling the documents. He was responsible for the first piece of the puzzle, which set the tone for the whole process.
“Lovett stresses on getting the job done right the first time,” said Sgt. Nicholas Burns, 13th MEU transportation coordinator.
The MEU’s embark chief, Staff Sgt. Valentin Garcia, received and consolidated all the documents from Lovett and the MEU embark NCOs and reviewed them with a fine-toothed comb, which can be painstakingly meticulous.
“Staff Sgt. Garcia spends a great deal of time going through the (information) collected from the embark NCOs,” said Burns. “It wouldn’t be unusual to see him working on the lists for eight to twelve hours a day for weeks.”
The associated stress that comes with the difficult task could be overwhelming, but Garcia is known to have the ability to stay calm and focused-- even when things aren’t going smoothly.
“It’s just how he is,” said Burns.
After Garcia approved the documents, the MEU’s embark officer, Capt. Christopher Fields, used his seasoned expertise to make the final approval. As a prior staff sergeant and Chief Warrant Officer, Fields wasn’t exactly “new” to the process.
“He’s like a machine,” said Burns. “If there’s something wrong with the documents, even one little thing, he’ll catch it right away.”
The final piece of the puzzle was in the hands of Burns. He was responsible for making the transportation movement requests for everything leaving here. The “TMRs” are detailed documents listing each piece of equipment to be moved by serial number. If one number, out of hundreds, is off, the system could potentially collapse. Without Burns’ hard work and attention to detail, leaving the country could have been far more difficult for the Marines.
“He’s the center piece when it comes to getting everything from here to the ships,” said Lovett. In a position where there is no room for errors, he added, Burns is able to step up and get things done.
For the Marines of the embark section it’s always “mission first,” even if that means stepping on a few toes every once in a while. It took cooperation from everyone to make the transition run smoothly.
“I appreciate when Marines can take my job for what it’s worth and cooperate with me during the process,” said Burns.
It is that same cooperation that will help provide a smooth and safe trip home.