According to the U.S. Marine Corps, each of its military occupational specialty or “MOS” is a cog, working with and relying on each other to keep the fighting machine that is the Marine Corps up and running. And the motor transportation field is one of these vital cogs.
Motor transportation is one of the most critical and heavily “populated” military occupation specialties or “MOS” in the U.S. Marine Corps as leathernecks and their supplies can’t perform their various missions without it. Indeed, Staff Sgt. Manson Fowler – a driver instructor with the Headquarters and Support Battalion at Marine Corps Base Camp Butler in Japan – refers to motor transportation as the “lifeblood” of the Marine Corps.
“When supplies need to be moved, they deliver. When the flight line needs refueling, they answer the call,” he explained.
Motor transportation Marines work sporadic hours catering to their unit’s operational tempo, Fowler noted, with some operating under 24-hour dispatch, meaning they’ll literally sleep in the motor pool.
“Trucks leave at all times to complete their missions and our hours fluctuate from time to time,” noted Cpl. Noah Vital, an automotive maintenance technician with 3rd Transportation Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. “If we have priority vehicles that need fixed, no one leaves the motor pool until that vehicle is back up and running. These are the vehicles that will be the first to be sent out on missions, so we need them operational now.”
According to Sgt. Fowler, motor transportation has to be able to adapt to all aspects of the mission assigned to them. When a convoy rolls out, it is motor transportation Marines who operate the vehicle, the radio and the weapons.
“It is a thankless job but it is good to know that without you the job can’t be done,” he added. “It can be rewarding knowing that you are the only one who can do the task for refueling on the flight line or operating a wrecker. Without you, the unit you are with cannot properly function. Without motor transportation, there isn’t a lot that will get done.”
Mar5.jpg
Media Type
Media Credit
Privacy Settings
DataTable subpages
Media Image
transactionID
Source ID
Five Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement trucks, from Motor Transportation Operations/Basic School, sit parked ready to depart on a convoy exercise.
Mar6.jpg
Media Type
Media Credit
Privacy Settings
DataTable subpages
Media Image
transactionID
Source ID
Cpl. Carolyn Fields, a motor transportation operator with Motor Transportation Operations/Basic School, visually inspects a Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement truck during a convoy exercise. Her company, the TBS Motor T, manages more than 170 vehicles with less than 90 Marines.
Mar7.jpg
Media Type
Media Credit
Privacy Settings
DataTable subpages
Media Image
transactionID
Source ID
Marines wash a MKR18 Logistic Vehicle System Replacement at Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan. Motor transportation Marines are taught to operate and fix several types of vehicles like seven-ton trucks, Humvees, and LVSR. All vehicles at a motor pool get diagnostics run on them before they are sent to a unit.
Mar8.jpg
Media Type
Media Credit
Privacy Settings
DataTable subpages
Media Image
transactionID
Source ID
Cpl. Nolan Carney, an MTO with 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, attaches an M870A2 trailer to a Logistics Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR) MKR16 at Camp Pendleton, CA. On hard surface roads LVSR MKR16 can tow loads with a maximum weight of about 45 tons. It is used to tow heavy equipment, combat and engineer vehicles, as well as various other military loads.
Mar1.jpg
Media Type
Media Credit
Privacy Settings
DataTable subpages
Media Image
transactionID
Source ID
Cpl. Ryan Simmons tests the electrical components of a dashboard in a wrecker at the 3rd Transport Support Battalion Motor Pool at Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan. Priority vehicles like wreckers are at the top of the list to be fixed. These are the vehicles that will be the first to be sent out on missions. Simmons is an automotive maintenance technician with 3rd Transportation Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 3 with the 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force.
Mar2.jpg
Media Type
Media Credit
Privacy Settings
DataTable subpages
Media Image
transactionID
Source ID
The vehicles waiting for maintenance sit in the 3rd Transport Support Battalion Motor Pool parking lot at Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan. Motor transportation technicians organize the lot by priority vehicles, mission essential vehicles and unit. All vehicles at the motor pool will have diagnostics run on them before they are sent to a unit.
Mar3.jpg
Media Type
Media Credit
Privacy Settings
DataTable subpages
Media Image
transactionID
Source ID
Lance Cpl. Joel Partee, a motor transportation operator with Motor Transportation Operations at the Basic School in Quantico, VA, washes his Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement truck after a convoy exercise. TBS Motor T supports five training companies, making it one of the busiest motor pools in the Marine Corps.
Mar4.jpg
Media Type
Media Credit
Privacy Settings
DataTable subpages
Media Image
transactionID
Source ID
Lance Cpl. Ryan Benson, a motor transportation operator (MTO) with Motor Transportation Operations, Basic School, fills out a trip ticket after arrival at his destination. Missions for MTO can range from the simple, such as transporting portable water, to 24-hour operations supplying ammunition to units engaged in combat operations.