MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. -- Military aircraft are amazing machines, capable of carrying out missions the world over, but one constant factor impacts the performance of their assigned tasks ... fuel.
The Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 374, Marine Wing Support Group 37, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, Virginia Army National Guard, have made themselves the solution to the inherent limits on the Marine and Army aircraft participating in Exercise Desert Talon 1-06 by setting up a Forward Arming and Refueling Point in the middle of the Arizona desert.
The training exercise was conducted to prepare the Marine and Army units for their upcoming deployment to Iraq.
"We're out here for Iraq. It's good for us to train in the middle of a desert environment," said Cpl. Jeffrey H. Barenbaum, bulk fuels specialist, MWSS-374. "There has been adversity, there has been problems, but I love that stuff."
The two problems the FARP Marines and soldiers faced commonly were vehicles stuck in the desert sands and equipment breaking, according to Barenbaum.
"The sand is really deep, so when we move the trucks they get stuck," said Barenbaum. "The gear kept going down, and the maintenance was something we didn't plan on, but if we do these things here, then we'll know how to do it in Iraq."
The purpose of the FARP is to refuel aircraft, but there is an additional element to the team of Marines and soldiers.
"People think that all we do is just refuel aircraft, but it's not," said Staff Sgt. Christopher A. Colson, convoy commander, MWSS-374. "We also have to go out on tactical convoys."
All of the vehicles, gear, fuel, and personnel have to be moved from point A to point B to operate the FARP, explained Colson.
"While on the convoy, we must keep aware of our dispersion to the refueling point and watch out for improvised explosive devices," said Colson.
Safety is the number one concern during fueling operations, said Barenbaum.
"When the operations are going, there are 5,000 gallons of fuel nearby. Any little spark, and you're gone," said Barenbaum. "We pretty much got it down after two weeks out here, especially with as many problems we've had to overcome. I definitely think we're ready to run a FARP in Iraq."