U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (Oct. 10, 2018) -- U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (Oct. 10, 2018) – The bedrock characteristic of Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade is “forward-operating.” As a force that conducts expeditionary operations, robust communications are central for effective command and control. A detachment of Marines from 6th Communications Battalion embody the nature of Task Force 51/5, providing a tactical command and control solution ashore for the command to operate effectively from any given place in the Middle East.
The Marines from 6th Communication Battalion comprise the Deployable Joint Command and Control System, otherwise known as “DJC2,” co-located with Task Force 51/5 in Bahrain.
The detachment enables the commander to establish a self-contained, self-powered, network-enabled operations center or Joint Task Force Headquarters anywhere in the U.S. Central Command theater, all within four to 24 hours of arrival.
“DJC2 is Task Force 51/5’s mobile command and control unit,” said Master Sgt. Keith Rainer, the DJC2 staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge. “Depending on the mission requirements, the suite can be modified to provide support at sea, from the sea and ashore.”
The trademark features that distinguish DJC2 from organic communications are the unit’s unmatchable sense of readiness and its scalable packages, which carry a small footprint once in place.
“Navy and Marine Corps forces dispersed across the U.S. CENTCOM area of operations require intricate and robust communications,” said Capt. Marshall Boggess, the DJC2 officer-in-charge. “DJC2’s role is to be warmed up in the bullpen, ready to establish an expeditionary tactical communications infrastructure for Task Force 51/5 to command and control those units around the clock from outside Bahrain.”
The Marines regularly conduct rehearsal drills and spend an innumerable amount of hours learning the intricacies of their respective specialties, according to Rainer.
“Maintaining readiness through rehearsal ensures that when the need arises, DJC2 will be ready to answer the call and provide service with unparalleled proficiency,” Rainer said.
There are four sections within the organization: Networks, systems administration, transmissions and infrastructure. Each plays a vital role, and together are able to provide a wide range of services, including video teleconference, classified and unclassified web services, email support video feeds and various applications.
The current detachment, which rotates every six months, is comprised of 27 Marines from a multitude of communications-based military occupational specialties that enable these services.
Sgt. Victor Liguicota is transmissions chief with DJC2, a billet that carries the responsibility of supervising planning, installation operation and maintenance of all radio and transmission systems. The mobilization in support of Task Force 51/5 is his first deployment with DJC2.
“I enjoy that every day is different with regard to working on transmission terminals,” Liguicota said. “There is always something new we are troubleshooting on our end and the terminal’s distant end, and we annotate every troubleshooting procedure.”
Ligucota explained that his favorite aspect of the job is seeing the positive results of their work and the contributions to mission accomplishment.
“Knowing we are supporting a real-time mission and helping our brothers and sisters on the receiving end execute the mission is just an amazing feeling,” Liguicota said.
Although the DJC2 Marines often work behind the scenes, their work does not go unnoticed.
“For many of the Marines this is their first deployment,” Boggess said. “They have put in a lot of work, often in the early hours of the morning. I have enjoyed leading this group of Marines and I have seen them grow personally and professionally.”
The current DJC2 detachment is expected to re-deploy in December 2018, returning to 6th Communication Battalion, headquartered in Brooklyn, New York.
For more information about TF 51/5 or DJC2 please contact TF 51/5 Navy Lt. Cmdr. Sandra Arnold at Sandra.arnold@me.usmc.mil.