Marine relocation strenghthens tie

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Larry Schneck
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Around 350 U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve Marines packed their duffle bags, loaded their tactical vehicles and headed west from downtown Phoenix to their new home on Luke Air Force Base.

They completed the move in January 2010 from a former location in a blighted part of Phoenix on 35th Avenue.

Though force protection was the reason behind the shift, the relocation strengthened an already-close relationship between the Marine Corps Reserve and the 56th Fighter Wing.

"It made sense to consolidate on Luke," said Capt. Nathan Bowlin, Bulk Fuel Company C, 6th Engineer Support Battalion inspector instructor. "Throughout the years there's been cooperative, joint training between 56th FW Airmen and Marines."

A couple of years ago, Chief Master Sgt. Randy Raper, 56th FW command chief, asked the leadership at Bulk Fuel Company C to help implement combat fitness in the wing.

A small cadre of active-duty Marines from the Reserve unit taught Luke Airmen the combat physical training course. Those Airmen were certified as instructors. They helped build the Combat PT Center and provided hand-to-hand combat skills.

"We're big fans of the wing leadership," Captain Bowlin said. "We have a relationship with the U.S. Air Force that few other Marine units have."

The Company C Marines have used Luke as a PT location and sent Marines to the weapons range. The wing has reciprocated the joint training and sent Airmen to attend its Corporals Course.

"This is the only Marine Corps unit in the valley," said Sgt. Lorenzo Fuentes, a bulk fuel specialist and career planner on active duty who is assigned to the Reserve unit. "My job is to guide Reserve Marines in promotion and career planning."

The mission of the bulk fuel company is to train and deploy Marines. Sergeant Fuentes helps with retention and counseling Reserve forces to continue in their military occupational specialties or MOS.

As bulk fuel specialists they assemble a fuel supply system in a combat zone. A unit can only move as fast as the fuel and supply lines behind it.

"Right now we have a detachment of 43 Phoenix Marine Reservists in Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom," Captain Bowlin said.

Within Bulk Fuel Company C are 16 to 20 active-duty Marines who help set up training, handle pay and administrative issues and take care of maintenance and hazardous materials.

"We are a self-sustaining unit," Captain Bowlin said. "However, we get a lot of help from the Air Force at Luke and Army National Guard at Papago."

The active-duty Marines spend 28 days each month preparing for Reserve drill time that lasts just two or three days.

"Training is compressed into one weekend," said First Sgt. Nakia Davis, Bulk Fuel Company C first sergeant. "We have a short amount of time to conduct required training that active-duty Marines can complete over a longer period."

The training takes place on Luke and other locations throughout Arizona.

"Once a year we spend a drill weekend in Flagstaff," Sergeant Fuentes said. "We go to Yuma for the rifle range and conduct bulk fuel operations in Florence."

Keeping the Bulk Fuel Company C Marines trained and ready to mobilize is a job that takes this unit to locations around the state, but brings them home to their new base of operations on Luke.