Visual Information Marines Unite as Combat Camera by Cpl. Micah Snead Marine Corps News April 07, 2005 MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, SC - The visual information occupational field received a face-lift recently when it was renamed Combat Camera. The diverse field is comprised of combat illustrators, lithographers, photographers and videographers who are serving in jobs ranging from duty alongside infantry units to billets in the White House Communications Agency. Prior to the change, most visual information sections were known as the base or station Combat Visual Information Center. They will now operate beneath the Combat Camera banner. The Global War on Terrorism has transformed the perception of the military occupational specialty field from a station support job to a direct tool for battlefield commanders, according to Master Gunnery Sgt. Vonzell A. Mattocks, enlisted occupational field specialist, Training and Education Command. "We did not have the focus that we have today as far as helping the war fighter and commands make decisions," Mattocks said. "If used properly, a commander can make educated choices. We have to educate upward and tell commanders that we are a great commodity." Garrison services offered by the 4600 field include still photography, video and graphic arts support, computer-based training, desktop publishing, printing and reproduction, video productions and multi-media authoring. Putting the "combat" label back into their reputation was just one of the reasons for the name change, according to Mattocks. "We have several very unique technical specialties under one banner, and we wanted to give a stronger identity to the field," Mattocks said. "We wanted to create a synergy amongst the different specific jobs similar to what infantry Marines have. Every Marine knows that the 0300 field is the infantry, no matter what specific job you're talking about. That's the feeling we wanted to create." Some Marine Corps bases and stations combine their Public Affairs Offices and Combat Camera units. Making a distinction between PAO and ComCam was another goal, according to Mattocks. "We do a lot of support for PAO, but our missions are totally separate," Mattocks said. "PAO is all about information for the public, whereas we provide intelligence, reconnaissance and similar battlefield support that Public Affairs is not involved in." That battlefield support can provide military departments, unified combatant commanders and on-scene commanders with direct image capability in support of operational and planning requirements during world crises, contingencies, exercises and wartime operations, according to Mattocks. "We can not only be a tool for the CO, we can be a weapon," Mattocks said. "Imagine if two forces are facing off on opposite sides of a hill and one commander can see photos, video or even drawings of what the hill and everything around it looks like. "That is an invaluable commodity. It can be even more important in the urban-warfare environment that has become so common." The new name should be an instant reminder to commanders that the Marines are weapons and should be used accordingly, according to Mattocks. "Combat Camera has been around a long time and as technology grows, so does our effectiveness," Mattocks said. "We are an important part of any team and we want everyone to know it."

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