Anyone who drives in the National Capital Region knows firsthand navigation is a challenge. Here at Headquarters and Service Battalion, Headquarters Marine Corps, Henderson Hall, the Motor Transportation section meets that challenge. The Motor Transportation office is commonly referred to as the “Motor-T”.

Capt. Brian McCarthy is the officer in charge of Motor-T, Staff Sgt. Dennis Reid is the operations chief and road master, Sgt. Layton Lamphere is maintenance chief and Gunnery Sgt. Roger Munoz, who recently transferred to Hawaii, was the Motor-T administration chief. Reid manages the daily duties of the shop, gets vehicles to maintenance, handles all the phone calls, coordinates the runs and schedules personnel.

Motor-T is staffed with 33 enlisted Marines and one officer. Marines who drive the vehicles are motor vehicle operators by trade. The internal billets consist of two dispatchers, operations chief, platoon sergeant, quality control noncommissioned officer, lot NCO and a maintenance Marine.

“Operators receive training here to accomplish their job. [They receive] classes on the vehicles, check the oil and [perform] basic maintenance,” said Lamphere, who also serves as the shop mechanic.

The motor pool has 32 motor vehicles, including cargo vans, mini vans and a roadmaster vehicle. To insure operators obey the driving laws, the person who assumes the role of roadmaster drives a police car, which patrols the fleet within the National Capital Region.

“We support all of the sections at Henderson Hall - daily runs for Consolidated Administration to Marine Base Quantico and requests by Henderson Hall personnel for a vehicle or a vehicle and a driver,” said Munoz.

Motor-T supports the federal government’s transportation needs within a 100 mile radius of Marine Base Quantico, including the Pentagon and Navy Annex.

“When 112th Congress was in session in Williamsburg, Va., I supported them. I drove the congressmen and their Families around,” said Lamphere.

Motor-T controls the vehicles for Gen. James F. Amos, the commandant of the Marine Corps, as well as for Col. Ira M. Cheatham, commanding officer of H & S Bn., HQMC Henderson Hall.

“Although we answer to Col. Cheatham, vehicles and gas are supplied and controlled by Quantico. The fleet manager is based out of Quantico. We report miles, fuel consumption and maintenance,” said Munoz.

Motor-T responds to external transportation requests as well as internal. By order of Henderson Hall’s commanding officer, area schools and Reserved Officer Training Corps students are bused round trip to the base for special events.

The Columbia Park Elementary School Choir was bused from Landover, Md., to perform at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday memorial on Henderson Hall and Henderson Hall personnel were bused to Thomas Jefferson Middle School to judge a science fair.

In addition to supporting the King celebration and VIP retirement ceremonies, Motor-T works closely with the Marine Corps special project director (SPD). A part of Motor-T’s mission is to support transportation requests from the SPD for the commandant’s special projects. Typically, the commandant of the Marine Corps will invite his foreign counterpart to events. He may host his equivalent from the Columbian army, or the general in charge of NATO forces. Motor-T is responsible for airport pick-up and drop-off and all transportation while a guest of the commandant.

In a demonstration of the Marines “taking care of our own,” Motor-T gave the Wounded Warrior Bn. two vehicles and two drivers. Wounded warriors’ Families who come to visit their loved ones have all their transportation taken care of, to include to and from the airport, to the hotel, the Bethesda Naval Hospital, restaurants and other destinations.

If a president, senator or congressman dies, Motor-T participates in the Joint State Funeral Motorcade. Army personnel from Fort Myer provides the training for the funeral detail and the U.S. State Department oversees 16 Marines. Henderson Hall supplies the Joint Training Motorcade seven vehicles and drivers for members of the U.S. Senate, military generals, the Naval Criminal Investigation Service and the U.S. Secret Service.

Motor-T Marines are not just a taxi service. Because of the high profile and politically sensitive passengers it carries, Motor-T Marines receive antiterrorism training.

“My Marines know what they are doing and are capable,” said Munoz.

Marines from Motor-T are sent to an FBI training center in Clarksburg, W.Va., for specialized personnel security training. They are taught terrorism awareness, such as how to evade and escape from a crisis situation. Marines also get experience driving a bullet-proof glass SUV, as well as training in how to drive defensively or offensively, as needed, if they are attacked. Federal employees may sign out a government vehicle for official business from Motor-T. All E-5s or below are required to take the Incidental Driver Course. The course is also offered to civilians. The roadmaster and maintenance NCO teach the class, providing specific rules to drive a government vehicle. A roadmaster might have to stop and give a ticket because a vehicle is authorized for official use only.

Motor-T puts the “teeth” in transportation.

Related Links:

Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region and U.S. Army Military District of Washington