MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. -- As part of a Corpswide plan to bring meteorological and oceanographic sections closer to their primary customers, Marine Wing Support Squadron 371’s METOC section will transfer to a new parent command here by Oct. 1, 2010.
The 12 METOC personnel will receive permanent change-of-assignment orders, moving them from MWSS-371 to Marine Air Control Squadron 1’s Detachment C.
By being a part of an air traffic control detachment, METOC personnel will be better able to communicate with the pilots that form the bulk of their business.
“It’s something that’s been talked about for years,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Reuben Ebanks, station METOC officer in charge. “It brings us closer to our primary customers, which are aviation units.”
METOC’s mission is to provide meteorological, oceanographic, pilot information and services required for Marine Corps operations.
“The people who will have the biggest benefit are our technicians,” said Ebanks. “Now they will fall under a maintenance officer instead of a forecasting officer like me.”
METOC employs forecasters, who observe and predict weather patterns, and equipment technicians, who maintain the equipment used to make weather readings.
In all reality though, the forecasting METOC Marines will likely return to working with the station element, said Ebanks.