Comm discussion

[Screamtruth]

Ummm, no. We did have PRC-138's on hand (we were supposed to survey them, but I got the comm chief to keep three - my argument was "Hey, if everything goes to shit - I've got solid state Vietnam era technology to call in a CASEVAC") but they were hardly ever used. We didn't even have PRC-104's in the Bn.

The FACs went out with:
PRC-148 (VHF, UHF) as primary - nice radio, handheld and you can get headsets.
PRC-117 (VHF, UHF, SATCOM) as secondary - also very nice radio

I (the AirO) had:
MRC-148 which consists of
PRC-117
PRC-150 (HF)

If I was going out with a Company, I'd go out with the same as the FACs, but preferred the PRC-117 as my primary.

If you do not mind me asking.............

What unit were you with as the AO?

I was wondering if the standard TACP arrangment was similar around the fleet, i.e. TACP chief and teams and such.


We had an AO, with whom the TACP chief worked with in the COC, or wherever needed.............then FAC's per the line companies, with two TACP members assigned to each FAC.

 

[invertedflyer]

Yeah like phrog said. The -104s and -138s are a thing of the past. Everything now is either integrated into one vehicle or satcom.

 

[phrogpilot73]

What unit were you with as the AO?

I was wondering if the standard TACP arrangment was similar around the fleet, i.e. TACP chief and teams and such.

We had an AO, with whom the TACP chief worked with in the COC, or wherever needed.............then FAC's per the line companies, with two TACP members assigned to each FAC.

I was with 1/8, the "Beirut Battalion". Interesting bit of trivia that the news media didn't pick up on much. In 1983, 1/8 was part of the 24th MAU and went ashore in Beirut (and we know what happened). In 2006, 1/8 was part of the 24th MEU and went ashore in Beirut for a NEO. Kind of eerie.

It should be standard across the fleet, there is a T/O and T/E for it. However, usually the RTOs are the ones that are hard to come by (read the Battalion Commander wants more in his COC or in the Companies) so we don't always get what we want.

T/O is 3 FACs total in a Battalion, one of whom acts as the AirO.
T/O is 2 RTOs per FAC.

In my Battalion, we had 3 FACs (me plus two others), but only got one RTO per. On their previous deployment, they had 4 FACs (don't know how they scammed that), and one RTO per.

 

[skidkid]

Yeah I had 3 TACP Corporals as well. They were phenomenal Marines who busted their ass and got very little credit from the Comm Plt leadership.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Yeah I had 3 TACP Corporals as well. They were phenomenal Marines who busted their ass and got very little credit from the Comm Plt leadership.

Not surprisingly, I feel the same way. My RTO was viewed as a "slacker" because I took him with me, and didn't leave him in the COC to stand radio watch. Me and the Comm Plt Commander went head to head a number of times, until he realized that the CO was going to fall on my side of the fence, as long as I was being reasonable (he was trying to argue that I didn't need 117's)...

 

[invertedflyer]

Yeah I had 3 TACP Corporals as well. They were phenomenal Marines who busted their ass and got very little credit from the Comm Plt leadership.

I can't speak much for the active duty side, but leadership is something that is waning in my opinion. First and foremost, we have no Comm-O for my platoon. Most reserve officers are Captains or Majors (our former Comm-O was a fine officer) and RCP has yet to send us fresh bodies.

However our platoon is basically run by Masterguns, Gunny, etc. They are fairly good Marines... however they are usually absentee voters. Myself, being a Corporal, am usually going to be the individual tasked to do something, and therefore will be held accountable if something goes wrong. Thats the way it should be. The problem comes when, as phrog was talking about, the leadership thinks that you're not working towards the mission when you really are. I can't talk too much crap but its been a continuous thing over the last 4 years.

A perfect example is that "comm taxi" situation we were discussing earlier. When I had gone to drive our CO and 1st Sgt. I had to leave my platoon. Having signed for 3 or 4 crates of COC comm gear my Sgts. still needed me for accountability purposes, and to help set up the COC. Meanwhile I was scalping other sections (Motor T and Infantry mostly) for the CO's new radio watch. Remember also that this is a MRC-148. After I had made 4 or 5 runs to the rear next day I returned to the COC. The following transpired.

Sgt.: Where were you?
Me: I was temporarily tasked out to drive for the CO and for quartering party.
Sgt: Why didn't you call.
Me: I did Sgt. I told Sgt. R. that I'd be working for the CO for the day (I had also been the quartering party vehicle with Company Guns so my name was actually on a roster)

Sgt: I need to find this PRC-117 and this VRC-103
Me: No problem Sgt, let me look at my list.
Sgt: You should have been communicating with us better, Gunny was looking for you.
Me: Apologize for that, just trying to work with the CO. I thought everyone knew where I was since I was on quartering party.
Sgt: Find these radios. You're accountable for them and should have been here.
Me: I'm all over it Sgt.

It turned out that when the Marines had packed the vehicles they had mixed up my gear... but I was able to un- 'f it up and come out on top. I can see where the Sgts. are coming from. We're lucky to have good Sgts.

Anyway, you would think that a Comm platoon would have better communication or SA. Many times things like this happen... thats just how it goes. Frustrating for me though because I wanted things to run smoothly. Most often than not we don't receive much praise for our work. LOL and we secure last... oh well!

/rant

 

[gaijin6423]

phrog, was your RTO from the BLT or the command element? If he was from the CE, can you drop a hint as to his name? He might sound familiar.

For me, my comm is life. Without it, I am 100% non-mission capable, so I take a vested interest in making sure that my comm guys both know their job and know how important it is. And it doesn't hurt that I'm willing to leave them alone enough to work their magic.

 

[Screamtruth]

Yeah I had 3 TACP Corporals as well. They were phenomenal Marines who busted their ass and got very little credit from the Comm Plt leadership.

That is usually how it goes. When I was an RTO working with the FAC's on the line companies, we humped out a lot. I really never saw any of the guys in the COC humping, so I really did not give a shit what they thought.


It is sad though that often they do not get the credit deserved, but I always thought that the training and CAS time made up for the BS.........................always fun to walk in the Comm shop and brag about slinging MK84's off of OP Left.....................

Nathan

 

[phrogpilot73]

phrog, was your RTO from the BLT or the command element? If he was from the CE, can you drop a hint as to his name? He might sound familiar.

He was BLT...

 

[skidkid]

I dont want this to turn into a bitch session about Comm platoon Commanders, we will not undermine their authority even here. The discussions is intended to benefit future FACs out there is the need to look out for your boys. Go talk to the Comm Plt CO, easier to figure it out before you go head to head, I wish I had. It eventually worked out and I was able to have inputs on their Pro/Cons.
There are some very good comm platoon commanders out there and it is a thankless job that one bad day can get you fired.

 

[invertedflyer]

My former Comm-O was an outstanding officer. Too bad hes east coast now.

WRT the field. As an 0621 you're pretty much always going to go to the field. Usually the majority of our operators will be working in or for the COC. I've been lucky in that I've usually gone out with the Retrans teams, which IMO is the most fun. I also happened to know our scout platoon's plt. sgt. ... so he ended up requesting me for some training in Washington... always good to do some live fire stuff.

And it doesn't hurt that I'm willing to leave them alone enough to work their magic.

Gaijin ...you said you needed an RTO?

 

[gaijin6423]

Ha ha. Well, if I took another RTO out with me, then I'd have to chop one of my DASC Marines off the float, because I had my third vehicle snatched out from under me. I've got eight seats and eight Marines. Besides, my 0621 works straight up PFM for me on a regular basis, whether it's actual comm magic, or using his connections as a former MEU CE RTO to get shit for me. My other comm Marine is a 5939, and I need him to fix stuff.

As far as comm platoon commanders go, I must just have been lucky working with MWCS-28, because every single one of them I've dealt with has been shit hot. One guy in particular I worked with out at WTI was just freaking amazing. We (MASS-3, augmented by me), had laid some fiber cable in order to displace our ant farm from the actual DASC site. Comm guy sees 4 people trying to lay 1500m of fiber (not MY idea, btw), and offers a squad of wiredogs to help us out. We had been working for about 2 hours and gotten the cable only about halfway. Ten minutes later, the cable was laid, buried across several dirt roads, op-checked, and ready for use. They even came back out at repaired the cable when a 7-ton ran it over. No bitches about comm platoon commanders here.

 

[invertedflyer]

You have to give it to wiredogs. From what I heard the Bradley's regularely ran over W2 wire in Iraq...re-splicing and such was a fairly daily routine. Not fun.

I'm sure theres some great Comm-Os out there. I had an Infantry platoon sergeant tell me if he wasn't infantry he'd be comm. lol. My experience is just with the reserve side unfortunately. Its much different. Some things get put off, and some Marines fall behind on proficiency wrt their MOS. I've tried to stay as proficient as possible, especially on the newer systems.

I know most aviators get FAC tours... but I'm gonna downright volunteer for one