Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

YUMA PROVING GROUNDS, Ariz.; -- The 1st Marine Division is using cyberspace to call the shots as it retraces steps Army MajGen. George S. Patton took more than 50 years ago prior to deploying his units for World War II.

Desert Scimitar '01 is a tactical exercise without troops, in which the 1st Marine Division will move more than 1,800 Marines and 500 vehicles, 170 miles across the Arizona and California desert, including a Colorado River crossing.

It's the first time the Marine Corps has executed a Colorado River crossing - and the first time the U.S. military has done it since Patton.

This scenario tests the command and control element's ability to move the division over a large area.

"The purpose of this exercise is to put the entire division into the field and try to maneuver the division over a great distance," said MajGen. James T. Conway, commanding general, 1st Marine Division. "More importantly, we're going to stretch our communications, put our command posts into situations where they must displace in order to stay up with advancing units and operate against a thinking, willful aggressor."

The mission began May 1 with a nearly 300-mile trip to the proving grounds, where the main Command Operation Center was based. As the simulated battle progressed and the division needed to press on, the COC-forward moved to the next assembly point, across the Colorado river, ensuring continued command and control of the division's front line units when the COC-main moved Wednesday.

Constructing a 441-foot ribbon bridge was key in getting the ground units and COC in position as the simulated battle progressed.  

MajGen. Conway was confident that his Marines were up to the task.

"I think we will prove to ourselves that our bridging company can cross something the size, scope and speed of the Colorado River," said MajGen. Conway. "What we are doing out here very closely approximates what might be expected of us in war plans."

Bridging required assets from as far away as Battle Creek, Mich., and help from other Navy and Marine Corps engineers.

In the past, Desert Scimitar was a live-fire exercise conducted at Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command Twentynine Palms, Calif.

"Previous Desert Scimitars have consisted of the 11th Marine Regiment conducting a live-fire exercise at MAGTC Twentynine Palms and the Division coming in and laying on top of them for the final few days," said LtCol. Stuart Dickey, operations officer, 1st Marine Division. "Although we used the same name this time, it is a completely different exercise."

With a majority of the exercise occurring away from military property and in areas with endangered species, proper planning with federal, state, environmental and local agencies was essential.

"Our hope is to make this an annual exercise, and to do that we are going to strictly abide by the rules and regulations set forth by the agencies through which this exercise was coordinated," Dickey said.

"We have found the environmental agencies to be very willing to help us and understand our objectives," said MajGen. Conway. "It's been very much a partnership that has allowed this to take place."

The communities through which the Division will travel have welcomed the Marines and been more than willing to cooperate.

"We absolutely could not conduct this exercise without community support," MajGen. Conway said.

In all, the entire exercise took eight months to plan. Only a few days into the exercise, the planning showed its benefits. The only setback has been several vehicle malfunctions - though far fewer then expected, Dickey said.

In addition to the planning, Division also had to fund the operation. At a cost of $600,000, the hope is that the knowledge and experience gained far outweigh the costs.

"This gives us a unique opportunity to do something that has never been done before - on the west coast, so that in itself will provide us with an overwhelming amount of experience," said Dickey. "I think the exercise will be worth much more than the dollars we invested."

"We could have twenty humanitarian operations in the next ten years, and it wouldn't matter compared to the big fight if we went (to battle) as a division and lost," said MajGen. Conway. "If a Marine division got deployed and was unable to do the job - that would have a profound effect on our nation. That's why it's imperative we conduct this type of training - putting the entire division into the field and seeing what we can do."