MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII- U.S. -- U.S. Marines with 3d Marine Littoral Regiment are recipients of the following Marine Corps Association (MCA) Information Awards: the Lt. Col. Kevin M. Shea Memorial Unit of the Year Award, the Chief Warrant Officer 5 Brian “Joe” Graniero Restricted Officer Communications Award, the General Alfred M. Gray Award, and the Influence Officer of the Year Award.
The MCA Information Awards are administered by the Deputy Commandant for Information and consist of 23 individual awards, three unit and organization awards, and one individual or team award for the information communities.
3d MLR’s Communications Company is the recipient of the Lt. Col. Kevin M. Shea Memorial Unit of the Year award. Since its activation, 3d MLR’s Communications Company has participated in multiple large-scale, combined, and joint exercises, including Balikatan 22, Balikatan 23, Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC) Exercise, Marine Littoral Regiment Training Exercise (MLR-TE), and Force Design Integration Exercise (FDIE).
During JPMRC, Communications Company validated their ability to tie into joint force command, control, and communications (C3) systems, while supporting the U.S. Navy’s 3rd Fleet, Joint Force Maritime Component Commander. Communications Company also supported mission connectivity across Army Advanced Field Artillery Target Direction System (AFATDS), Army-Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE), Joint Automated Deep Operations Coordination System (JADOCS), and narrowband radio nets. They did so while also experimenting with different commercial solutions to shrink the communications footprint and increase available bandwidth for C3 systems.
Additionally, during Balikatan 22 and 23, the Communications Company Marines worked alongside the Philippine Marine Corps to improve interoperability and secure communications between the two services. During MLR-TE the company employed graduates of the Expeditionary Communicators Course in dispersed locations across the west coast. The two-man teams were able to support communication architecture necessary at each site to close kill chains in a contested and distributed environment. During FDIE, Communications Company supported 3d MLR in validating concepts outlined in Force Design 2030 and allowed 3d MLR to establish multiple fires and sensing expeditionary advanced bases across disparate training areas.
Testing Communications Equipment
Photo by Cpl. Patrick King
U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Donovan Tapp, a radio transmissions operator with 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division tests communications equipment at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Jan. 27, 2023. Marine Littoral Regiment Training Exercise is a large-scale, service-level exercise designed to train, develop, and experiment with the 3d MLR as part of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force, led by 3d Marine Division, operating as a Stand-in Force across a contested and distributed maritime environment. Pfc. Tapp is a native from Tampa, Florida. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Patrick King)
"I couldn’t be prouder of our team’s recognition in receiving the Kevin M. Shea Memorial Unit of the Year Award, pathway has exceeded every expectation in enabling command and control in the Indo-Pacific and across the Joint Force,” Capt. David Noble, 3d MLR Communications Company Commander.
U.S. Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 4, Joshua D. Stone was the recipient of the Chief Warrant Officer 5 “Joe” Graniero Restricted Officer Communications Award. Stone served as the MLR’s Space and Propagation Engineering Officer and was instrumental in transforming 3d MLR’s ability to establish and maintain joint kill webs in complex operating environments by engineering diverse tactical transport at an unprecedented level in the Marine Corps.
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. David L. Estes was the recipient of the General Alfred M. Gray Award for his contributions as the MLR’s Assistant Communications Officer. Estes led multi-disciplined, cross functional teams to deliver diverse and resilient kill webs, hosting some of Force Design’s most exquisite capabilities across multiple Joint and Service-level exercises.
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Kevin J. Smith was the recipient of the Influence Officer of the Year award. Smith served as the MLR’s Information Operations and Civil Affairs Planner and was instrumental in developing the MLR’s Fusion Cell which served as a synchronization cell for inform and influence operations, cyberspace, space, intelligence, and Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations.
“I am extremely proud and humbled to serve alongside these Marines,” said Col. John G. Lehane, commanding officer of 3d MLR. “Developing communication pathways for a low-signature, mobile force is no easy task and these Marines have embraced the challenge and succeeded. I am excited to see what they continue to achieve in support of 3d MLR and the Fleet Marine Force as whole.”
The Marines will be recognized at the annual Marine Corps Association Information Awards Dinner on April 11, 2024.