Marine Corps News Release Release #: H4796
Division of Public Affairs, Headquarters, United States Marine Corps, Washington, DC 20380-1775 Commercial: (703) 614-7678/9 DSN: 224-7678/9 FAX: (703)697-5362
Date: 02/09/96 Story by Sgt. M. T. Mink
UNMANNED VEHICLE UNIT CHANGES NAME
MARINE CORPS AIR-GROUND COMBAT CENTER, Twentynine Palms, Calif. -- The Marines of 1st Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Company changed their name, but not their mission, during a recent redesignation ceremony when they became the 1st Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron, or VMU-1. As the colors of 1st UAV Co. were furled and cased, another chapter was opened in the unit's history. The new name was not the only change the newly baptized VMU-1 underwent.
With the elevation into a squadron, VMU-1 is no longer a subordinate element of 1st Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Intelligence Group, as it had been since Dec. 15, 1989. VMU-1 will now come under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 13, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing, located in Yuma, Ariz.
Currently, the unit has fewer than 160 Marines of various military occupational specialties in its ranks. A full-fledged squadron contains more than 200 Marines, said Maj. John Pioli, VMU-1 executive officer.
"We will be receiving new Marines to bring us up to our new table of organization," the South Bronx, N.Y., native said. "Because we now have official MOSs designated for UAV Marines, we will be able to offer the MOS to Marines wanting to make a lateral move and to Marines going through recruit training."
The first Marine to receive the 6300 unmanned aerial vehicle technician MOS from recruit training was LCpl. Sloan Briles, a member of VMU-1. The second official MOS for UAV Marines is the 7300 unmanned aerial vehicle pilot MOS.
However, with all of the similarities to a squadron, VMU-1 still will be unique.
"A motor-transport unit, complete with communications and maintenance sections, will be attached to us," Pioli said. "Regular Marine aircraft squadrons do not have motor pools."
During the redesignation ceremony LtGen. Anthony Zinni, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force commanding general, recalled the time when he first heard of the remotely piloted vehicle.
"Twenty years ago, I was a brand-new major at Headquarters Marine Corps and had the privilege of attending a brief that was given to the commandant, then General (Louis) Wilson," LtGen. Zinni said. "This brief was about a new concept, a new technology, something called remotely piloted vehicles."
"Then it seemed like something out of Buck Rogers," he said, "some science fiction about the future. These things would fly over the battlefield and do great things for us in terms of what we could see and what we could direct. I think that everybody who saw that brief saw the possibilities of how remarkable this technology could be, and how it could revolutionize the way we fought our battles."
"I saw the reality of this machine in Desert Storm and many other places," the general said. "This machine served a purpose for our Marines, saving lives and making us more effective on the battlefield."
He added that because UAVs are a new technology, the promise is great.
"We see in the UAV great promise," Zinni said. "They'll be bigger, carry more payload, more productivity and offer more to the Marine Expeditionary force. What started as a small capability for closely supporting ground units will now grow into something that supports the Marine Expeditionary Force in very deep operations.
"You have done many great things, for your unit, for this MEF, and for the Corps," he said.
"You are the cutting edge of something that has a bright future. A lot of things we do in the military hit a peak, the possibilities sort of run out. You have just begun."
