Business Executives for National Security (BENS) Camp PendletonFebruary 29, 2008

We begin our day at the Recruit Depot and have the opportunity to observe a full Graduation Ceremony.

We are greeted early morning and briefed as to

the day’s activities.

Presentation of The Colors!

High School ROTC Members Attend Graduation Ceremonies.

This 90 Year Old Retired Marine is Honored for His

Lifetime of Service

Several Athletes are also Honored for their service and

training to Run Across America Raising Awareness and Funds

Graduation Ceremonies Commence with all

the Formalities.

The Band is Exceptional

Pomp and Circumstance.

Celebrating the New Marines

We arrive at Camp Pendleton for Lunch with General Samuel Hellandwho provides a private

briefing for our ten BENS members.

Major GeneralSamuel T. HellandCommanding General, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

Major General Helland began his military career by enlisting in the Army in 1968. He served three years with U.S. Army Special Forces, leaving after a combat tour

of duty in Vietnam with the 5th Special Forces Group (ABN), Military Advisory Command (Special Observations Group). Major General Helland graduated from Marine Officer Candidate School in 1973, and was designated a Naval Aviator in

1974. He is qualified as a CH-53 pilot.

His Marine Corps career assignments include tours of duty with Amphibious Units, Aviation Combat Elements, and Joint Task Forces. During these tours of duty, he participated in exercises and contingency operations that ranged from the Arctic Circle, throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, and finally to the Persian Gulf, where he saw combat during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. After graduating from the Marine Command and Staff College in 1987, Major General Helland reported to Headquarters, Marine Corps to serve as a Staff Officer for the Department of Aviation, Aviation Programs and Weapons Division (APW). In 1990, he left Headquarters and was assigned as the Logistics Officer for the Marine Aircraft Group 26, only to be sent to the Persian Gulf as the Operations Officer for Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, MAG 40. After returning from Southwest Asia, Major General Helland assumed command of HMH-461 in June 1991. He commanded HMH-461 until June 1993 after which he attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. After graduation, he reported to the Joint Staff and served as a member of the J-7, Operational Plans and Interoperability, Conventional War Plans Division, where he later served as Joint Staff Officer until 1996. Major General Helland assumed command of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in August 1996 and led the MEU through two Mediterranean deployments. During this period the MEU conducted five successful real world contingency operations, including Joint Task Force Nobel Obelisk in Sierra Leone in May 1997, during which Major General Helland was designated as Commander, Joint Task Force Noble Obelisk. In April 1999, after returning form his second deployment, he was assigned as the Deputy Commander JTF-Shining Hope providing humanitarian assistance to Albanian Kosovo refugees in Albania and Macedonia. Returning from Albania in July 1999, he was assigned to US Joint Forces Command, Norfolk VA, as the Director for Operations and Plans. Leaving US Joint Forces Command in August 2001, he reported to US Marine Forces South, Miami Florida as the Deputy Commanding General, Marine Forces South and the Commanding General, Fleet Marine Forces South. From August 2003 to May 2004, he served as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation, before assuming his current assignment. In May 2004 Major General Helland assumed command of Combined Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa based in Djibouti, Africa before assuming his current assignment. On 5 August, 2005 Major General Helland assumed command of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, MCAS Miramar Sand Diego, California.

The most advanced Marine Training now includes

“Immersion” Facilities. Here we are briefed before entering

an Iraqi Village.

As we are taken inside the facility, we are briefed all along the way as to how real world simulations work so effectively.

This Immersion Facility has simulated as much of a real Iraqi village as possible including Restaurants

Vegetable Markets

Private Residences

The streets are filled with debris to allow Marines to accurately feel what the environment will be like before going to the front lines.

Many possible hiding places exist for “Improvised Explosive Devices” (IED’s) to be hidden.

These simulated street scenes not only look like the real streets, but also are filled with the smells they will experience as well.

We are taken behind the scenes where this system operator will control events during the training exercise.

Throughout the Village, moving

images are projected onto the walls so Marines

undergoing training will have to make

ethical split second decisions to

determine whether these are terrorists or other extremists.

Simultaneously, actors playing locals are moving throughout the village, possibly hiding IED’s or firing “Rocket Propelled Grenades” (RPG’s) at the Marines as they carry out Missions.

These actors also portray extremists in typical clothes.

The weapons they carry fire projectiles such as paint-ball like bullets so Marines will know if they have been hit by a sniper.

To demonstrate the noise levels and

disorientation that can occur, they fire several RPG’s at us and detonate IED’shidden all around.

It is incredibly loud and smoke now fills the streets. Blood is

everywhere.

This is a brand new Iraqi Village constructed of cargo containers.

These containers allow for flexibility as they can be rearranged to other

shapes simulating a variety of buildings so Marines will have

different challenges each time they are trained here.

The buildings have interiors as well. When Marines enter each

building, there are rooms, staircases, etc. to closely simulate

the situations they will face in a real Village.

This entire Village and every building has lights and video cameras to simulate both day and night time activity. After simulations, there will be an after-action

review using video briefings somewhat like watching game tapes after the weekend’s football game.