Out With the Old

While many occupational fields have leveraged a vast array of technological innovations over the past decade in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their warfighting capabilities, the utilities field has been slow to follow. Much of the Marine Corps' utilities equipment is comprised of assets grounded in 1970s' technologies. In order to remain operationally relevant on the 21st century battlefield, this discrepancy is slowly being rectified.

In August 2001, based on the solicited responses from the Operating Forces, Marine Corps Combat Development Command's Equipment Requirements Division determined there was no valid requirement for the B2641 small mobile water chiller. It is now being removed from the inventory. Furthermore, the B1226 field laundry unit is in the process of being removed from service. The current laundry unit was fielded around 1985, is unreliable, and not easily deployed. A replacement for this capability will be procured once funds become available and a new asset successfully competes and is resourced through the program objective memorandum process.

In addition to the elimination of obsolete equipment, the utilities field is also divesting itself of antiquated training techniques. As recently as 2004 the Marine Corps Engineer School (MCES) allocated 24 academic hours to climbing and erecting power poles. Very few subject matter experts within the utilities field can recall Marines actually executing these tasks away from a formal school environment. As a result these academic hours have been realigned to conduct formal instruction on more technically applicable and tactically relevant utilities tasks in support of today's battlefield requirements.

In With the New

As the aforementioned antiquated equipment, tasks, and training techniques leave the utilities field, improved materiel, employment, and training initiatives are gaining traction and redefining the shape and capabilities of the utilities field. One of the most significant materiel solutions within this transformation is found in the fielding of the tactical water purification system (TWPS). The TWPS is a joint acquisition program with the U.S. Army as lead Service. It is a generator-powered, skid-based system capable of producing potable water from fresh, brackish, salt, and nuclear, biological, and chemical contaminated water sources. The 1,500 gallons per hour (gph) TWPS replaces the current 600 gph reverse osmosis water purification unit (ROWPU) on a one TWPS for two ROWPU basis. The TWPS is a dramatically more complex and sophisticated asset than the ROWPU it replaces. It will require nearly 134 academic hours to teach entry-level Marines to employ and maintain the TWPS. Although this far exceeds the 80 hours required to train Marines to operate the ROWPU, it is well worth the investment in time as the TWPS clearly provides an enhanced water production capability to the MAGTF.

Another materiel solution that will significantly improve the tactical capabilities of the utilities field is the water quality analysis set, purification (WQAS-P). The WQAS-P is a one-man-portable, suitcase-sized kit containing equipment for testing water quality. The kit is self-contained in a waterproof case. Foam inserts secure equipment in the case, and foam liners protect sensitive instruments. The WQAS-P is used to assess raw water quality at potential water points, to monitor the treatment process, and to perform chemical analysis in determining the quality of potable water produced. The WQAS-P provides increased efficiencies over existing capabilities and reduces the amount of components required for conducting water analysis.

Training

In order to successfully integrate the improved materiel capabilities discussed above, it has been necessary to orchestrate a comprehensive overhaul of the training and education continuum for the utilities field. A significant element of this process has been in the development of a new program of instruction for entry-level Marines in the hygiene field. In November 2004 MCES convened a Course Content Review Board to rebuild the Basic Hygiene Equipment Operator Course from the ground up. The resulting course was redesignated as the Basic Water Support Technician Course and provides comprehensive formal training on 31 “core” hygiene equipment operation, maintenance, and Employment tasks required for a Marine with the military occupational specialty (MOS) of 1171 to report to his/her first duty station licensed on 11 different pieces of hygiene equipment and with the basic knowledge and skills to perform in the MOS. This is particularly significant in that, previously, these Marines received no formal instruction on equipment maintenance activities until they attended the noncommissioned officer-level journeyman course, yet they were routinely assigned to billets throughout the Operating Forces where they were required to execute maintenance tasks.

Another significant improvement in the training and education continuum for utilities Marines has been the innovative use of web-based distance learning (DL) instruction to augment and reinforce schoolhouse and managed on-the-job training. Developed in conjunction with the College of Continuing Education, there is presently an interactive course that teaches Marines how to perform before and after operations checks; start, operate, and maintain the tactical quiet generator; and run parallel operations. This interactive DL course enables a student to conduct independent study and sustainment training on the operation and employment of this generator at his own pace and as often as required in order to maintain and improve his individual technical proficiency.

Perhaps the most important adaptation to the training of utilities Marines has been a step back to our roots as warfighters first and foremost. In order to ensure that the Marines of the utilities field remain tactically capable and relevant on the asymmetric battlefields of the 21st century, all formal instruction has been redeveloped to emphasize the execution of utilities engineer functions in a tactical vice administrative environment. In fact, all utilities Marines are now provided detailed instruction on the general characteristics, visual indicators, and potential enemy employment of improvised explosive devices in order to ensure that they are prepared for the threats they will face throughout the battlespace while deployed.

Conclusion

Although there remains much to do, the Marine Corps utilities community has made significant gains in ensuring its continued relevance as part of the 21st century MAGTF. Divesting itself of old, antiquated equipment; procurement of cutting-edge utilities technology; and the corresponding change in the way utilities Marines are trained and equipped will ensure viable, capable, and reliable support to the MAGTF of the 21st century and beyond.