CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- -- Congressman Jason Chaffetz, Chairman of the House Oversight Government and Reform Committee, was escorted by members of MCIWEST MCB-CAMPEN Government and External Affairs on a tour of training facilities and tenant commands aboard Camp Pendleton, April 6.
Congressman Chaffetz, who was selected by the House of Representatives to chair the Oversight and Government Reform committee, toured the Wounded Warrior Regiment and the Infantry Immersion Trainer and ate lunch with senior enlisted Marines.
“The United States Armed Forces are the most well-equipped, highly-trained professional military in the world, and we need to keep them that way,” said Congressman Chaffetz. “We should prioritize defense functions in our federal budget and keep our commitments to the heroes who sacrifice so much to keep our enemies at bay.”
Chaffetz also met with the First Marine Expeditionary Force Commanding General, Lt. Gen. David H. Berger, who explained I MEF’s capabilities, mission and their role in the Marine Corps.
“It was particularly valuable that Chairman Chaffetz meet with the I MEF Commanding General and MCIWEST-MCB Camp Pendleton Senior Enlisted Leadership,” said Maj. Khieem Jackson, Federal Legislative Affairs Director, Marine Corps Installations West, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. “Those interactions allowed the congressman to gain insight on training, readiness and quality of life matters.”
The congressman was briefed on environmental and energy conservation initiatives on base at Marine Air Support Services 3 and a received a tour of Wounded Warrior Battalion West’s rehabilitation facilities and living quarters.
“The Oversight and Government Reform Committee arguably has the largest breadth and depth of any Congressional Committee,” said Jackson. “It very likely touches every corner of the government as it pertains to its oversight role.”
Wounded Warrior Battalion West is the West Coast branch of Wounded Warrior Regiment. The battalion assists wounded, ill and injured Marines through their healing process with a focus on successfully reintegrating Marines back into the operating forces or aiding them in transitioning into the civilian workforce.
The day concluded with a tour of the Infantry Immersion Trainer, a hands-on, mixed reality training facility that simulates the sights, smells, sounds and feel of village, in designated locations. The purpose of the facility is to provide a realistic environment in which to train Marines for deployment.