Have you ever wondered how the Marine Corps determines how to integrate systems worn and carried by Marines? Cue, Gruntworks Squad Integration Facility. In recent years, the Marine Corps rifle squad has undergone modernization efforts to modify its size, armament, and equipment to increase lethality, expand capabilities, and achieve victory on new battlefields. Our Gruntworks facility here at Quantico is critical to modernizing the Marine Rifle Squad. On this episode, Tripp chats with Mark Richter, project officer for the Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad, or MERS, Team here at Marine Corps Systems Command and the manager of Gruntworks. The views expressed in this podcast reflect those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions or the United States Marine Corps or Department of Defense. Show notes: Movie recommendation: Forrest Gump --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/equipping-the-corps/message

The Program Manager for Training Systems is Marine Corps Systems Command’s executive agent assigned to manage acquisition and life-cycle support of Marine Corps ground training systems, devices, and training support services. Behind the scenes, engineers, logisticians, project managers, and more are tasked with bringing emerging training system to Marines to not just prepare for the fight, but to increase their survivability on the battlefield. On this episode, Tripp chats with Robert Rivera, a facility engineer from PM Training Systems. The views expressed in this podcast reflect those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions or the United States Marine Corps or Department of Defense. Show notes: Movie recommendation: Pirates of the Caribbean --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/equipping-the-corps/message

The Marine Corps is currently mid-Force Design 2030 implementation and depending on where you sit: Active Duty, Reserve, Retired, a member of a sister service, curious taxpayer, or one of our many Allies/Partners; you are aware of some of the paradigm-shifting changes. Much of the information provided to these audiences is post-decisional. The rigor, applied by the Combat Development and Integration Enterprise, to inform Force Design 2030 modernization efforts is often ignored for the sensational headline. Today, we’re going to dive into the world of wargaming and the organization responsible for this effort, The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory or MCWL. On this episode, Tripp chats with the Director of the Wargaming Division at Marine Corps Warfighting Lab, Col. George Schreffler. The views expressed in this podcast reflect those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions or the United States Marine Corps or Department of Defense. Show notes: Neptune’s Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal by James D. Hornfischer War Plan Orange: The U.S. Strategy to Defeat Japan by Edward S. Miller --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/equipping-the-corps/message

Many of us are familiar with the phrase ‘eyes on the sky.’ Well, Program Manager Air Command Control and Sensor Netting also known as PM AC2SN is critical to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force mission success. PM AC2SN acts as the central agent for the research, development, production, deployment, and life cycle management of Aviation Command and Control (AC2) for the Marine Corps operating forces and supporting establishments. On this episode, Tripp chats with Mr. Dayle Wright, Program Manager for PM AC2SN. The views expressed in this podcast reflect those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions or the United States Marine Corps or Department of Defense. Show notes: TV: Jeopardy & Star Trek Books: History of God by Karen Armstrong Stephen King books Piers Anthony Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond Movies: Braveheart Saving Private Ryan We Were Soldiers Once Star Wars Turner Classic Movies --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/equipping-the-corps/message

The Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity or MCTSSA, provides 24/7 global technical support for command, control, computer, communications, cyber, and intelligence (C5I) systems; and conducts engineering, testing and evaluation, and supports experimentation on C5I systems and amphibious platforms in order to inform acquisition decisions and make the Fleet Marine Force (FMF) more capable. This week, Tripp sits down with the Commanding Officer for MCTSSA, Col. Craig Clarkson. The views expressed in this podcast reflect those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions or the United States Marine Corps or Department of Defense. Show notes: Book Recommendation: Commandant's Reading List & The Kill Chain: Defending America in the Future High-Tech Warfare by Christian Brose Podcast: Phoenix Cast --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/equipping-the-corps/message