III Marine Expeditionary Force

Marines with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 set up a forward arming and refueling point during fast ground refueling training Feb. 4 at Ie Shima Training Facility.

The training familiarizes Marines with refueling aircraft they may not regularly work with in the simulated remote environment created at the training facility.

“The main thing Marines are supposed to take from this training is being comfortable with airframes they aren’t used to,” said Sgt. Taylor R. Holzheuser, a fixed-wing aircraft crew chief with VMGR-152, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. “This (training) allows them to get some experience with (UH-1Y Huey helicopters and AH-1Z Cobra helicopters) which are a lot more common in other places in the Marine Corps.”

The expeditious refueling technique is applied to a wide range of military vehicles to include MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and ground equipment such as the 7-ton truck or Humvee.

“This training is important for mission readiness,” said Cpl. Nicholas A. Marucci, a fixed-wing aircraft crew chief with VMGR-152. “It allows Marines to practice setting up a refueling site (rapidly).” 

After establishing an operational FARP, the process becomes as simple as an aircraft landing, taxiing to a refueling point and resuming its mission upon receiving the necessary fuel, according to Holzheuser.

“FARPs have been used in many significant operations such as Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Damayan,” said Holzheuser. “This refueling technique is used … when our forces are moving faster than our fuel sources.”

The Marines with VMGR-152 absorbed all the information and gained insight on how to improve the performance of their duties, according to Holzheuser.

“(The training) was extremely successful,” said Holzheuser. “I don’t have to worry about (my Marines). This training gives them an example of what to expect in the future.”