Showing posts with label RC-Southwest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RC-Southwest. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Afghan Plans for Camp Leatherneck

The Afghan 215th ANA Corps inherited a sprawling base in southwest Afghanistan with the departure of the Marines from Camp Leatherneck. The mystery is what will the Afghans do with the base, buildings (298), vehicles, equipment, and gear. One of the buildings is a $36 million, 64,000-square foot military headquarters built for the Marines but never used. Ouch. The camp was built to accommodate 26,000 troops. Read more in "Afghans' plans for gear, buildings at Leatherneck unclear", Marine Corps Times, November 2, 2014.

Friday, February 7, 2014

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing To Depart RC Southwest

Marines and sailors with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) are preparing to depart Regional Command Southwest in the next few days. The Transfer of Authority to the 3rd MAW (Fwd) took place at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan on February 4, 2014. This was the third deployment to Afghanistan for the Cherry Point, NC unit. The unit provided immediate response capabilities, assault support, and assistance transporting personnel, gear, and cargo. Read the rest of the story in "Last Marine Aviation Transfer of Authority in Afghanistan", DVIDS, February 5, 2014.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Gates Had Reservations of Marine Fight in RC SW

According to his book "Duty" former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates had doubts about the deployment of Marines to Helmand province - an area of Afghanistan with a sparse population. A lot of fighting power was positioned there at great expense - over 20,000 Marines plus a number of other allies (British, Danish, etc.). The Marines were part of the 30,000 troop surge provided by Obama to help in the population-centric counterinsurgency fight. Gates wondered if the deployment of the Marines had more to do with getting the Marines into the fight in Afghanistan (after its withdrawal from western Iraq) but with its own autonomous area without coming under the command of Army generals. Could be something to that! See "Gates on Afghan surge, Marines", U-T San Diego, January 13, 2014.