CAMP BOBO, Kuwait -- Battling the sun, wind and the other elements of Kuwait, Marines from 1st Force Service Support Group, clean, load and fasten vehicles and other essentials used in the war to free the country of Iraq in order to move the gear up to northern Kuwait.
Marines of Camp Bobo are retrograding all gear and accounting for all equipment, which supported the war effort and I MEF's movement toward Baghdad.
"The primary mission here is to coordinate the movement of all Maritime Prepositional Forces (MPF) equipment from Tactical Assembly Area Coyote and transport it north to Tactical Assembly Area Fox," said Maj. Jason L. Wallace, operations officer for the camp.
Once the gear reaches TAA Fox, a special purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) that is assembled there will reconstitute, repair and regenerate all the equipment onto the MPF ships. .
Most of the gear is being transported either straight from Iraq by units coming back or being routed by the Regeneration Control Element (RCE) at Camp Bobo, said Maj. Bill L. Babcock, MPF advisor and supply officer here.
"We have about 112 Marines working daily to get the gear up to the special purpose MAGTF," added Babcock.
Aiding the Marines is the FSSG's own fleet trucks as well as other vehicles when the lift is above the capabilities that are located with the RCE.
The MPF is a strategic option that is global in nature, naval in character and suitable for employment in a variety of circumstances.
The use of organic equipment from MPF ships was instrumental in the war to topple Saddam Hussein's regime, it allowed for "a very quick and substantial force buildup," said Babcock.
It also provided an essential element in the conduct of the national military strategy as part of U.S. forward presence around the world.
"MPS ships are strategically based around the globe with Marines and sailors ready to link up with the Maritime Preposition Squadron's in an area of operations in a matter of days," said Wallace.
All equipment that is being loaded back to the ships "has to be the best equipment possible, in case the Marine Corps needs to react to another contingency," said Wallace.
The MPF is one of three components of the Marine Corp's rapid response capability.
One Maritime Prepositioning Ship can support a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), while a Maritime Prepositioning Squadron can offload and support a Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB). Three Maritime Prepositioning Squadron's (MPSRONs) can support an entire Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) as was seen during Operation Iraqi Freedom.