Convoy of USMC MTVR's,HMMWV in Jersey 4-1-10

Heading up to a doctors appt. today with my wife and son, when about 1/2 mile up the Garden State Parkway (milemarker 100 Northbound) I thought I saw a convoy. I was like "nah". But my wife then said, " looks like a bunch of Army trucks up there". I dropped a gear and caught up to this. About 10 MTVR's (maybe MK23 or MK25) and a few HMMWV's. The Marines were in full combat gear, helmets and all. Anyway these new MTVR's look mean and they are real tall. Enjoy the pics.

MMMMMmmmmm....can't wait till those are on GL!

My wife always busts my balls about MV's, but today she was like "those are cool". I told her I'll let her drive the duece when I get one.

Mine is the same way but she is slowly warming up to my obsession. She even said she would like an MV as long as it was easy to drive (power steering). I'm thing hunvee, m1009, m1008. She says I can find an MV out in the middle of no where but alot of times she spots them out for me. I figure by the end of the year she will be on the OD green side

Those BIG Green Machines sure make those little green-cars look tiny!

Thanks for posting up those pics.

I think that those are my favorite MV from a looks perspective. I hold no hope to ever see them on GL but I can dream.

I felt like following the convoy. If we had more time before the appt. I would.

On the Marines being in full combat gear in the trucks, that is something the Marines started doing about 20 years ago, I do not know if the army does it or not. If you sre driving a military vehicle, you will be wearing your war gear. That includes helmet and flack vest. My brother in law was a army ranger, and that is one thing he noticed about the Marines, we do just about every thing in combat gear. He told me this years before the first Gulf war. He said if we ever go to war, you guys will be used to wearing your gear at all times., and not taking it off because it is heavy, or hot like my soldiers do. Now, this was back in the 1980s, I do not know how they train now. But it is cool to see a young Marine pull up to one of the shops, just hauling one item in is truck, and he steps out in full war gear.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

large scale drive-by

A couple of times I have seen these MTVR's towing 155 mm howitzers, in convoy, on Interstate 25 headed north from Denver (there is a Reserve Unit there). I guess they are just out and about to do some plinking. There is normally at least one battle ready looking soldier holding rifle, in the back of the truck next to the tailgate.

sample pic

Where is the nearest Marine unit near there?

U need your Kevlar on when in a MV in the NJ Guard as a serious rule , and a second driver...all wear a kevlar...but thats it .

IMHO: Having been raised in NJ, there are certain neighborhoods there in which I would wear KEVLAR no matter what I would be driving.

We now return you to the original topic of this Thread.

I am assuming this is near Ft. Dix?? 4th MAW has several MWSS units located in PA (Willow Grove to name one of them) and on drill weekend they more often than not drive to Ft. Dix in NJ to do training. I am not sure if this is one of my units because the UIC on the back of the truck is not clearly visible.

I believe we saw this same convoy

Ft. Dix is Army. Lakehurst, maybe (and that's a strong maybe). Dix got realigned (or was it Lakehurst?), but if what this convoy is is USMC, they didn't come from Ft. Dix proper.

And, please, let's knock off the trash-talk about rough neighborhoods in NJ. I love Jersey. We moved here from L.A. 2 years ago after my son's friend was set on fire at school for being a "nerd." Perp walked. Rickie might walk after a couple more skin grafts. Shut up. I'd rather get my head shaved in the middle of Newark while some fat thug tattooed a racial epithet onto my forehead than buy a gallon of gas in Lynwood just to clear the 105.

drdstny said:

And, please, let's knock off the trash-talk about rough neighborhoods in NJ.

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Your point is well taken.

IMHO:
However, citing "true stories, and amazing factoids".... Following my time in the USAF, I preferred raising my family in Texas, rather than NJ. While my parents did an EXCELLENT job of raising my siblings and me 8 miles into NJ from the WTC, I felt that the task would be (and was) much more readily accomplished in the Great State of TEXAS instead.


Besides, "Big Joey and Da'Boys" really did want to make my knees swing "the other way" if I ever returned after I had ratted them out to "The Law"
... Can you say, "Life in prison withour parole."

As a counter-point - - - That was the mid-70's and A LOT has changed since then.

But what's the truth got to do with it?

I love Texas (and 47 other States) too. From there, family and ancestry herald. I'm just asking for a tiny bit of realism for every ounce of stereotype we use to fill these threads.

Back on topic: seems to me, down there by Franklin are some OHV parks of a Colossal Nature. What day was the convoy? Maybe they were returning from Bivouac.

Next nearest USMC unit of that size? Anyone?

We Marines utilize other Branches of Services bases all the time. It may not be Ft. Dix but I know we use an Army / NG base for all of our training up there. That being said, Marine Reserve units can be found on Army, Air Force, and Navy bases throughout the US.

halftrack said:

We Marines utilize other Branches of Services bases all the time. It may not be Ft. Dix but I know we use an Army / NG base for all of our training up there.

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"All" of "our" training? Uh, okay, that would be Camp Lejeune, NC, which is only like NJ in that it begins with the same letter.

Closer to NJ would be Quantico, but the training there is a bit more specialized. I asked if there's anything between Lakehurst and Quantico, but no response yet.

I take your post to be argumentative. You might as well say all Marines eat Army MREs: so what?

Heading North on the GSP, away from Lakehurst/Dix/McGuire, on a Friday, suggests they were doing Joint Ops Training hosted by another base. In the interest of killing your argument where it stands, I say they headed to Navahuk Coast Guard Base deep in the heart of Nebraska to do some Advanced Needlepoint with the WACs.

True story.

drdstny said:

Heading North on the GSP, away from Lakehurst/Dix/McGuire, on a Friday, suggests they were doing Joint Ops Training hosted by another base. In the interest of killing your argument where it stands, I say they headed to Navahuk Coast Guard Base deep in the heart of Nebraska to do some Advanced Needlepoint with the WACs.

True story.

Click to expand...

I'd like to see the You Tube video of THAT training