From 13-24 June 2011, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing (2d MAW) conducted Exercise MAILED FIST 1-11 along the East Coast of the U.S. Known as a Large Force Exercise, MAILED FIST 1-11 was the first exercise of its specific kind and the largest Wing exercise conducted in recent history. 2d MAW units home-based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C.; MCAS New River, N.C.; and MCAS Beaufort, S.C. along with other Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force units will conducted operations from northern Virginia to northern Florida.
Major General Jon Davis, the 2d MAW Commanding General, designed this exercise in support of his strategic vision for 2d MAW to remain prepared as II Marine Expeditionary Forces (II MEF) rapid-deployment aviation force-in-readiness. By aligning existing, budgeted training events, 2d MAW was able to generate additional training opportunities in a manner that captures significant savings in cost and time for the Wing. Key training goals included:
Train 2d MAW for rapid deployment missions as II MEFs aviation force-in-readiness.
Support of Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Atlantics Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) 5-11.
Conduct Marine Air Control Group 28s Marine Air Command and Control System Integrated Simulated Training Exercise
(MISTEX) 2-11.
Certify Marine Aircraft Group 14 as an Aviation Command Element (ACE) Battlestaff.
Exercise the newly-constructed Wing Operations Center (WOC), which provides 2d MAW the ability to command and control
distributed aviation operations through a full array of advanced technologies.
Conduct multiple integrated training events that will prepare 2d MAW units for the upcoming Fall Weapons and Tactics
Instructor (WTI) course held at MCAS Yuma, Ariz.
Exercise key elements of aviation command and control for the upcoming Exercise BOLD ALLIGATOR 12 including MAG, ACE
battlestaff training, real-time coordination with airspace controlling agencies along the U.S. East Coast, and the blending of
live and simulated aviation operations within a single operations center.
MAILED FIST 1-11 is unique because much of training outside of TACP 5-11 and MISTEX 2-11 has been developed by junior and mid-grade leaders within 2d MAW. In simple terms, they used their imagination to create an exercise that others can join in with their own training agendas, yet from which everyone within the larger force benefits.
Through MAILED FIST, the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing aimed to accomplish its many missions as a team utilizing all six functions of Marine Aviation and its supporting enablers. Ultimately, its goal was to continue providing unmatched support to the American warfighter.