MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- Sixty communications Marines attended the first II Marine Expeditionary Force G-6 Command, Control, Communication and Computer Non-Commissioned Officers Course, C4 NCO Course aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune April 11 to 29.

Evaluations from the initial training course will be used to assist in developing the II MEF Communication Training Center at Camp Lejeune, and aide I MEF, III MEF and Marine Forces Reserve in their development of a CTC.

“One of the functions of the communications training centers is to provide communications training to Marine non-commissioned officers and staff non-commissioned officers. It also serves other purposes,” said Lt. Col. Fredrick Hopewell, operations officer, G-6, and Alexandria, Va., native. “It provides a place for new equipment training to take place, sustainment training on existing systems that we have, and also to bring non-communicators and give them exposure to C4 equipment so they have the general knowledge of C4 functions.”

Supported by instructors from the Marine Corps Communication Electronics School, the 15-day course gives corporals and sergeants training in three phases: occupational specialty training; cross training in transmission, switching and data systems; and introductory training in maintenance managements, C4 systems planning and deployment preparations.

“(The course) gives you an idea how everything comes together in the big picture in a tactical environment,” said Cpl. Kellie Noble, radio operator, II MEF G-6, and Prospect, Conn. native. “I’d highly recommend if any NCOs get the chance to take it, jump on it.”

Many Marines who have already returned from a deployment wish they had the training before they deployed.

“(The training is) important because we get deployed and as a NCO we’re responsible for our non-NCOs which are going to be the operators of the equipment. They’re going to look to us for ‘what is this, how do you do this?’” said Cpl. Jarrod Evans, data security intrusion detection, 2nd Battalion 6th Marines. “It gives you a sense of security and also it gives them more efficiency. If you know your gear then you also know what other gear takes to (work) with your gear, which causes comm to stay up longer and it’s not going to go down.”

The Marines came from a variety of occupational specialties and units. Eight Marines have a background in communications maintenance, 10 Marines have a wire background, 27 were radio operators, and 15 have a data background. They came from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry point, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Marine Force Atlantic, and II MEF to cross train in their field.

The goal of the course is to expose all NCOs to an area outside their occupational specialty, but inside the communications field, by allowing Marines to remain closer to their parent commands and receive the necessary training in the rapidly changing communication and data fields. The result of the course is a well-rounded NCO who can go back to their unit and share their knowledge with junior Marines.

The course was developed as a result of after actions report from Operation Iraqi Freedom. The II MEF CTC will work closely with the C4 Training and Education Center of Excellence in 29 Palms, Calif. to deliver future C4 course selections as concepts and content develop over the next few years.  The II MEF CTC will continue to focus on addressing II MEF C4 training challenges as it has trained 75 percent of its top 20 priorities so far this year.

In 2008, Regional Training Centers are planned to begin operations throughout the Marine Corps at I MEF, II MEF, and III MEF.

With the first CTC underway, Hopewell can’t wait to see the result of the training while deployed, “I’ll soon become the G-6’s ops officer at II MEF forward and I’m anxious to see the impact the training has on the unit’s ability to accomplish the mission.”