During Strategic Mobility Exercise 17, approximately 500 “principal end items” of Marine Corps equipment were removed from Norwegian caves and replaced with fresh gear; part of the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway (MCPP-N). The caves are some of several locations around the world which house the gear to support contingencies or operations abroad. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 2nd Lt. Brett Lazaroff)
The MCPP-N enables what the military calls a “rapid aggregation of a credible, agile, and flexible Marine Air-Ground Task Force” and for the defense of North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] allies and partners in Europe. Note all the trucks in this picture, prepped for use hauling troops, ammunition, supplies, etc. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 2nd Lt. Brett Lazaroff)
Lance Cpl. Anthony Rivera, a landing support specialist with Marine Rotational Force Europe 17.1, guides a seven-ton truck off of cargo ship USNS Baldomero Lopez (T-AK 3010) in Norway. Marines replaced equipment from MCPP-N caves with serviced equipment from the ship to “optimize operational readiness” in military lingo. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Emily Dorumsgaard)
Sgt. Nadia Rusnak, a motor vehicle operator with Marine Rotational Force Europe 17.1, climbs out of a seven-ton truck after staging it in the assembly area at a cave site in Norway. MCPP-N is a bilateral program between U.S. Marines and Norwegian soldiers to stay prepared for future operations across the region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Emily Dorumsgaard)
Lance Cpl. Jack Tashjian, a landing support specialist with Marine Rotational Force Europe 17.1, guides a seven-ton truck through the assembly area at a cave site in Norway. Keeping equipment in such a “forward-based location,” according to the Marines, shortens response time for global operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Emily Dorumsgaard)
U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Giles Bailey (left), a heavy equipment operator, and Cpl. Billy Garrett, a motor transport mechanic – both with 2nd Transportation Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, within the 2nd Marine Logistics Group – install an “armadillo” onto a Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) truck during Strategic Mobility Exercise 17 (STRATMOBEX) in Frigaard, Norway. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Emily Dorumsgaard)
The “armadillo” being installed here by U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Gordon Budd is the nickname for a removable armored personnel carrier system for military trucks. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Emily Dorumsgaard)
The “armadillo” is a one-piece “capsule” with armored sides, ballistic glass windows, bench seats, and tarp-covered open top so troops can quickly enter and exit the vehicle. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Emily Dorumsgaard)
Marines with 2nd Transportation Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2d Marine Logistics Group, drive MTVR seven-ton truck that is towing a M777 155mm howitzer artillery piece to an assembly area during Strategic Mobility Exercise 17 (STRATMOBEX) near Stjordal, Norway. The STRATMOBEX exercises helped sharpen the logistical operations of the MCPP-N troopers. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Emily Dorumsgaard)
