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NETT Marines Bridging Gap
Between Past and Future of Amphibious Combat
by Ashley Calingo, U.S. Marine Corps
Systems Command
July 3, 2019
At its core, any Marine Corps New Equipment Training Team (NETT) is
responsible for ... as the name suggests ... arming Marines with the
knowledge and skills they need to operate and maintain new equipment
to ensure Marines’ future success on the battlefield. When new
equipment is fielded, the NETT provide the initial training to
experienced legacy system operators and maintainers to help get them
acquainted with the new system in the shortest time possible.
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February 28, 2019 - Marines from
the Amphibious Combat Vehicle new equipment training team
complete an operator course in the vehicle at the Amphibious
Vehicle Test Branch facility aboard Camp Pendleton,
California. NETT Marines train to become subject matter
experts on new equipment, such as the ACV, in order to teach
other Marines how to maintain and operate newly-fielded
equipment. In addition to instructing Marines, the NET team
reviews and provides input to training manuals and standard
operating procedures, help develop ranges and plan field
operations for Marines. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Ashley Calingo)
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When the new system is the Amphibious Combat
Vehicle—game-changing not only in the amphibious capabilities it
provides to Marines, but also in that it’s replacing a nearly
50-year-old legacy system—the NETT are in a unique position to
bridge the gap between the past and future of amphibious combat in
the Corps. Currently, most new equipment training teams are
comprised of civilian subject matter experts from Industry, the ACV
NETT is comprised primarily of amphibious assault Marines who are
able to apply their experience and expertise in operating and
maintaining the legacy vehicle to operating and maintaining the new
one.
“It’s pretty much 100 percent preparation for the next
evolution,” said Staff Sgt. Kevin Wheeler, lead operational
instructor on the NETT, of his team’s role. “All of us here on the
NETT have years of experience operating the legacy [Assault
Amphibious Vehicle]. I think that our collective experience and
influence is important, especially in informing the future of our
community. That’s our number one job.”
Though the NETT falls
under the Virginia-based Advanced Amphibious Assault program office
at Program Executive Officer Land Systems, the office responsible
for acquiring and fielding the system, the team itself is housed at
the Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch at Camp Pendleton, Calif.,
maximizing the team’s ability to spend time on and become proficient
with operating and maintaining the vehicle.
To aid Marines’
transition from the legacy to the new platform, the NETT faces the
challenge of infusing old practices into new Standard Operating
Procedures and Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for the ACV.
“During the operational assessment, we realized that some of the
tactics we’re used to with the AAV don’t work with the ACV,” said
Wheeler. “We’re taking into account our old doctrine with the AAV,
and seeing how some of those tactics, TTPs and SOPs can translate to
the ACV [to make the transition easier for Marines].”
On the
vehicular maintenance side, NETT Marines also help design the
maintenance course. Currently, the team is busy helping the program
office prepare for a four-month logistics demonstration—a
comprehensive event evaluating the maintainability and
sustainability of the vehicle—scheduled for this fall.
“One
of the ways we’re verifying the Technical Manual for the ACV is by
having the maintenance team complete over 1,400 maintenance tasks
using the TM as a guide,” said Staff Sgt. Justin Hanush, maintenance
lead instructor for the ACV. “This will help us when preparing the
maintenance course. Ultimately, we want to ensure that Marines are
successful when the vehicle hits the fleet.”
While the NETT’s
main role is training Marines on maintaining and operating the ACV,
the team also licenses drivers and, as operators of the vehicle, are
integral participants in the rigorous operational, logistical and
evaluative vehicle tests initiated by PM AAA. Having experienced
amphibious assault Marines on the NETT has been extremely beneficial
to the program office, particularly during operational assessments
and testing.
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February 28, 2019 - Marines from
the Amphibious Combat Vehicle new equipment training team
take the vehicle out for a spin at the Amphibious Vehicle
Test Branch facility aboard Camp Pendleton, California.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Ashley
Calingo)
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“The Marines have assisted us greatly with understanding
how the amphibious community operates, especially on water,” said
James Aurilio, Manpower, Personnel and Training lead for PM AAA.
“Operating a land vehicle in water is a unique experience, and they
brought that experience with them. There’s a lot about doing that
that, those of us who don’t do it would never understand or wouldn’t
think to ask [during testing]. They’ve been stellar and have helped
us out a lot.”
The NETT will start training Marines from
Delta Company, 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division,
in January 2020. Delta Company will be the first amphibious assault
crews to be trained on the new vehicle. Upon completion of training,
the NETT will help guide the Delta Company Marines as they
participate in tests assessing the effectiveness of the first set of
low-rate initial production ACVs. PM AAA anticipates receiving the
first set of low-rate production vehicles this summer.
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