KUWAIT –
U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 24, attached to Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF) Crisis Response’s Logistics Combat Element, participated in three-dimensional additive manufacturing training in Kuwait from Aug. 26 through Aug. 29.
“When we arrived on deck, we received this really awesome 3D printer with no instruction on how to use it,” said Staff Sgt. James Stasiewicz, a CLB-24 communications electronics technician. “Some people go to years of school for what we are doing out here. The guys providing the training are cramming the basic necessities on what we need to know into four days' worth of training, and the Marines are doing an amazing job receiving it.”
Additive manufacturing saves the Marine Corps precious time during the maintenance process in a forward-deployed environment. Some parts that could take months to order and deliver can be replaced within days utilizing the additive manufacturing systems organic to the SPMAGTF.
“We have seen replacement 3D printed parts come out of this SPMAGTF that didn’t even exist in the region,” said Ryan Fisher, an engineer with Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division. “This 3D-printing center has become a hub where they can manufacture parts for different units in the region and get their equipment up and running much faster than we have seen before.”
Additive manufacturing is also saving the Marine Corps large amounts of money.
“Instead of paying a different company’s overhead, we are utilizing Marines within our battalion, training them and setting them up for success if they choose to do this after the Marine Corps, and saving the Marine Corps money in the process,” said Stasiewicz.
Marines from many different military occupational specialties are being trained in the additive manufacturing field. This allows for advances at the most junior level all the way up to our senior staff noncommissioned officers.
“If you have a passion for helping the industry, you will succeed and you will advance,” said Stasiewicz. “We are trying to solve maintenance issues within the Marine Corps and we are able to accomplish some of that at the junior Marine level. It’s amazing to see people that want to help, and see their hard work pay off Marine Corps wide.”