Major General Samuel Helland briefed the BENS members and gave them a tour of Camp Pendleton's immersive training facilities, including an Iraqi village simulation. The simulated village uses advanced technology like projected images, sound effects, and actors to create realistic training scenarios for Marines. It allows Marines to experience conditions like they would in an actual Iraqi village, preparing them for potential situations involving improvised explosive devices, rocket propelled grenades, and encounters with locals before deployment. The village and its buildings can be reconfigured to provide different challenges during training exercises.

1. Business Executives for
National Security (BENS)
Camp Pendleton
February 29, 2008

2. We begin our day at the Recruit Depot and have the opportunity to
observe a full Graduation Ceremony.

3. We are greeted early
morning and briefed as to
the day’s activities.

4. Presentation of
The Colors!

5. High School ROTC Members
Attend Graduation Ceremonies.

6. This 90 Year Old
Retired Marine is
Honored for His
Lifetime of
Service

7. Several Athletes are also
Honored for their service and
training to Run Across America
Raising Awareness and Funds

8. Graduation Ceremonies
Commence with all
the Formalities.

10. The Band is Exceptional

11. Pomp and Circumstance.

12. Celebrating the New Marines

13. We arrive at Camp
Pendleton for Lunch with
General Samuel Helland
who provides a private
briefing for our ten
BENS members.

14. Major General
Samuel T. Helland
Commanding General, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
Major General Helland began his military career by enlisting in the Army in 1968.
He served three years with U.S. Army Special Forces, leaving after a combat tour
of duty in Vietnam with the 5th Special Forces Group (ABN), Military Advisory
Command (Special Observations Group). Major General Helland graduated from
Marine Officer Candidate School in 1973, and was designated a Naval Aviator in
1974. He is qualified as a CH-53 pilot.
His Marine Corps career assignments include tours of duty with Amphibious Units, Aviation Combat Elements, and Joint Task
Forces. During these tours of duty, he participated in exercises and contingency operations that ranged from the Arctic Circle,
throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, and finally to the Persian Gulf, where he saw combat during Operations
Desert Shield and Desert Storm. After graduating from the Marine Command and Staff College in 1987, Major General
Helland reported to Headquarters, Marine Corps to serve as a Staff Officer for the Department of Aviation, Aviation Programs
and Weapons Division (APW). In 1990, he left Headquarters and was assigned as the Logistics Officer for the Marine Aircraft
Group 26, only to be sent to the Persian Gulf as the Operations Officer for Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, MAG 40.
After returning from Southwest Asia, Major General Helland assumed command of HMH-461 in June 1991. He commanded
HMH-461 until June 1993 after which he attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. After graduation, he reported to
the Joint Staff and served as a member of the J-7, Operational Plans and Interoperability, Conventional War Plans Division,
where he later served as Joint Staff Officer until 1996. Major General Helland assumed command of the 22nd Marine
Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in August 1996 and led the MEU through two Mediterranean deployments. During this period the
MEU conducted five successful real world contingency operations, including Joint Task Force Nobel Obelisk in Sierra Leone in
May 1997, during which Major General Helland was designated as Commander, Joint Task Force Noble Obelisk. In April
1999, after returning form his second deployment, he was assigned as the Deputy Commander JTF-Shining Hope providing
humanitarian assistance to Albanian Kosovo refugees in Albania and Macedonia. Returning from Albania in July 1999, he was
assigned to US Joint Forces Command, Norfolk VA, as the Director for Operations and Plans. Leaving US Joint Forces
Command in August 2001, he reported to US Marine Forces South, Miami Florida as the Deputy Commanding General,
Marine Forces South and the Commanding General, Fleet Marine Forces South. From August 2003 to May 2004, he served
as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation, before assuming his current assignment. In May 2004 Major General
Helland assumed command of Combined Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa based in Djibouti, Africa before assuming his
current assignment. On 5 August, 2005 Major General Helland assumed command of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, MCAS
Miramar Sand Diego, California.

16. The most advanced Marine
Training now includes
“Immersion” Facilities. Here
we are briefed before entering
an Iraqi Village.

17. As we are taken
inside the facility, we
are briefed all along
the way as to how
real world
simulations work so
effectively.

18. This Immersion
Facility has
simulated as
much of a real
Iraqi village as
possible
including
Restaurants

19. Vegetable Markets

20. Private Residences

22. The streets are filled with
debris to allow Marines to
accurately feel what the
environment will be like
before going to the front
lines.
Many possible hiding
places exist for
“Improvised Explosive
Devices” (IED’s) to be
hidden.
These simulated street
scenes not only look like
the real streets, but also
are filled with the smells
they will experience as
well.

23. We are taken
behind the scenes
where this system
operator will control
events during the
training exercise.

24. Throughout the
Village, moving
images are
projected onto the
walls so Marines
undergoing training
will have to make
ethical split second
decisions to
determine whether
these are terrorists
or other extremists.

25. Simultaneously,
actors playing locals
are moving
throughout the
village, possibly
hiding IED’s or firing
“Rocket Propelled
Grenades” (RPG’s)
at the Marines as
they carry out
Missions.

26. These actors also
portray extremists in
typical clothes.
The weapons they
carry fire projectiles
such as paint-ball like
bullets so Marines
will know if they have
been hit by a sniper.

27. To demonstrate the
noise levels and
disorientation that
can occur, they fire
several RPG’s at us
and detonate IED’s
hidden all around.
It is incredibly loud
and smoke now fills
the streets. Blood is
everywhere.

28. This is a brand new Iraqi Village
constructed of cargo containers.
These containers allow for flexibility
as they can be rearranged to other
shapes simulating a variety of
buildings so Marines will have
different challenges each time they
are trained here.

29. The buildings have interiors as
well. When Marines enter each
building, there are rooms,
staircases, etc. to closely simulate
the situations they will face in a
real Village.

30. This entire Village and every building has lights and video cameras to simulate
both day and night time activity. After simulations, there will be an after-action
review using video briefings somewhat like watching game tapes after the
weekend’s football game.