Sgt. D. G. Smith communicates with his team while setting landing lights. This is in preparation for their upcoming deployment to Greece for exercise Dynamic Mix.

 Air traffic controllers from Marine Air Control Squadron-2 and Headquarters and
Headquarters Squadron participated in a Marine Air Traffic Control Mobile Team course aboard Station and Camp Davis, Feb. 14 - 18.

The 24 controllers spent time in the classroom learning what the purposes and responsibilities of an MMT are. They then went to Camp Davis, N.C. to
apply what they learned, rapidly establishing and controlling tactical landing zones in remote locations for fixed wing aircraft and landing zones for rotary
wing aircraft.

Four teams of six Marines tested their skills at setting up a 3,500-foot by 60-foot landing zone within the target time of 20 minutes. A series of orange
nylon panels, nails, sandbags, and ropes were placed every 500 feet along the edge of the runway between the approach and departure ends setting up
daytime landing zones. Different colored lights were placed, similarly to where the daytime panels are placed, to set up nighttime landing zones.

The concept of an MMT is for the controllers to be inserted into an area prior to aircraft arriving. The team finds a clear location and sets it up before
aircraft come in and do what they have to do, said Gunnery Sgt. David A. Lee, Marine Aviation Weapons Tactics Squadron-1, Yuma, Ariz., ATC chief
and MMT instructor.

The MMT is normally the lead element for establishing rapid ATC services for a Marine Air Ground Task Force during limited hours. As a stand-alone
ATC capability, the MMT can provide ATC for airfield seizures, noncombatant evacuations, humanitarian civil assistance and other MAGTF operations.

For instance, MMTs were used during a fairly recent real-world operation in Sierra Leon, West Africa, said Lee.

The MMT supports the MAGTF in a number of ways. This includes surveying air sites to determine each sites operational suitability for the number and
type of aircraft; marking landing zones; establishing a control point from which to formulate and issue ATC clearances, instructions and advisories; and
establishing communications for ATC services.

The MMT is capable of controlling landing zones for Marine Expeditionary Unit and Marine Expeditionary Force operations. The MMT has the organic
capability to operate for up to 72 hours without resupply or augmentation.

Normally a team works together over a long period of time and basically wont need to use a lot of communication between each other to set up the LZ
in under 20 minutes, said Lee. You have to continue to work together as an MMT, though.

During the biannual MAWTS training, only eight Marines at a time are taught the MMT tactics. These Marines are then instructed to continue the training
back at their units. However, the number of controllers taught through the process are few. Therefore, MAWTS instructors travel to other bases in an
attempt to teach the MMT course to larger groups of controllers.

The purpose of this is to give Marines MMT experience before they go to a MEU, instead of them deploying with a MEU without having received the
proper training, said Staff Sgt. David T. Gowans, MACS-2 operations chief.

Out of the four teams who participated in the MMT training, one is scheduled to deploy with the upcoming Dynamic Mix exercise. Another team is
scheduled to deploy with the upcoming 26th MEU.