Encampment Day 2: Group pictures, Simulators, V-22 Osprey flight line, Crash Flight Rescue

Today we were all on the go non-stop, soaking in all the Marines could show us in 6 short hours. At 0900 after morning breakfast, we returned to the helicopter museum at MCAS New River. There, in front of the CH-46 Sea Knight, we took encampment pictures of the flights, squadrons, TACS, cadet and senior staff.

After that we went over to MATSS (Marine Aviation Training System Site), where the Operations Coordinator, Mrs. Crystal Mabe provided an overview of the site operations and the variety of simulators they have for flight readiness training for pilots. She was assisted by a great team of pilots, and simulator operators who gave all of us an overview of the CH46, Huey UH-1N and the V-22 Osprey. Some of us even got to sit at the controls and shoot down the bad guys.

We then took a welcome break for lunch at the MCAS New River mess hall. After that we proceeded to the Marine V-22 Osprey flight line. We were allowed to walk through am aircraft on the flight line and see several other Ospreys and Hueys on the ramp.

We were then shuttled over to the Crash and Fire Rescue group on the ramp which was right next door to the tarmac where we toured the T-6 Texan II yesterday. MSgt Lavoie and his team introduced us to the tools and techniques used by his teams for various emergencies including structural firefighting, Hazmat, First Aid, vehicle extraction, Decon and first responder procedures. The grand finale of the afternoon was a live demo of a simulated vehicle crash extraction procedure. The Marine team rescued a crash test dummy with precision and speed that had us all enthralled.

We returned to Camp Lejeune at 1730 hrs for dinner after which the cadets held flight time at the barracks while the senior and cadet staff held their day end meetings.

It is now 2200 hrs and it is time for lights out and much needed sleep before we get started on Day 3 activities, which we hear is going to be even more exciting.

by C/CMSgt Micah Larson and C/CMSgt Tim Johnson with support from Capt. Paul Twiddy and Maj Conrad D'Cruz