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This is a summary of significant events and is sues encountered by
9th Communication Battalion during Operations Desert Shield and
Desert Storm.  This operational period covered over six months
and is currently on-going.   Further, it was an operational
situation that introduced many firsts and unique challenges for
Marine Corps command,  control and communications systems,
doctrine and SOPs. A partial list of firsts and challenges would
include such things as real time operation in a large joint
arena, almost universal incorporation of digital transmission and
switching systems,  real world operation of the Surveillance,
Reconnaissance and Intelligence Group,  complete integration of
the Marine C3 system into the joint C3 system, actual use within
COMUSMARCENT of the G-~ concept and many others.   Obviously, an
account of an operation that involves so long of a time period,
so many significant issues, and operational and organizational
firsts would fill volumes if recorded in detail.   However, the
purpose of this account is to record only specific significant
events and issues that have been encountered during the
operations without detail or further analysis.

To the Marines and sailors who participated in the operations,
the events occurred in rapid and constant succession.   There was
no strict organization of events.   However, producing a written
record of the events requires some kind of organization even if
only to allow for the product to be readable.   In this case, the
written organization is an arbitrary chronological grouping of
events into four unique episodes.   The first episode involves the
planning and execution of the deployment of Bravo Company,  9th
Communication Battalion in support of 7th MEB through the build
up of forces until the assumption of control by I MEF.   The
second episode encompasses the period of relative calm after the
initial deployment of forces when Desert Shield was strictly a
defensive operation and offensive operations were not in the
fore-front of consideration.   The third unique episode was the
period from late November until the beginning of the ground
assault during which time preparation for offensive operations
were conducted.   The fourth episode is best categorized as the
execution of Desert Storm. Desert Storm was a unique episode in
the deployment even though much of the activities the battalion
conducted were in conjunction with episode three, preparation for
the offense. Clearly, there is no distinct line that separates
each episode, and definitely, many of the activities of one
episode overlapped into the next.   Nevertheless, this is the
organization which provides the structure for this account.

Before recounting the initial planning and deployment to Saudi
Arabia,  it is important to consider the state of training and
readiness the battalion enjoyed on 2 August 1990.   Recalling the
numerous events in which the battalion was participating just
prior to deployment provides a reasonable picture of its high
level of expertise.   Of greatest importance was USCENTCOM
exercise Internal Look which was completed during the end of July
1990.   In that exercise key personnel in the battalion received
an invaluable opportunity to work with many of the same commands

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