Combat Service Support Group (GASC)

The Commander and all the personnel of the Combat Service Support Group (GASC) welcome you to this website, and invite you learn about this Marine Corps Unit which is crucial for the MC Brigade (BRIMAR) training, and for the successful operation of the BRIMAR in real missions, as it provides transport, medical services, maintenance and all necessary supplies. Our main virtue is to be in permanent readiness to go wherever necessary, and be able to deploy our resources in support of the Brigade.

Our Headquarters are in San Carlos, near San Fernando, Cádiz, sharing facilities with other Marine Corps Groups.

The current workforce of the Combat Service Support Group consists of 346 men and women. Most of them are Marines but there are also personnel from the Medical Corps.

The Combat Service Support Group (GASC) is divided into the following Companies:

• Service and Staff Company.
• Medical Company.
• Transport Company.
• Supply Company.
• Maintenance Company.

The Medical Company provides the necessary personnel to attend to the different BRIMAR Units during operations and exercises. To this end, the workforce has first aid personnel to provide assistance to combat casualties with a "Battalion First-Aid Post" and a "Casualty Assessment and Evacuation Post".

The Transport Company provides the BRIMAR with the necessary vehicles for both, personnel transport, and cargo/heavy vehicle transport. It has light and heavy Lorries, "Kynos Aljaba" trailers, sapper vehicles, tractors and field workshops

The Maintenance Company is in charge of all maintenance works of vehicles, weapons, night vision equipment, etc. It has modern workshops at the TEAR Headquarters and other deployable workshops for exercises and operations.

The Supply Company, as its name suggests, is in charge providing supplies to all units. It includes rations, fresh water, fuel, ammunition, etc. It has lorries, field kitchens, water and fuel tanks, forklift trucks, etc.

The GASC is the logistic support unit of the Brigade, especially equipped to provide support in combat situations and amphibious operations. The work of this unit is of paramount importance since it is in charge of providing the necessary "energy" for combat activities.

Our daily activity is centered in supporting the BRIMAR in its training. In this sense, medical personnel deploy in exercises and operations; we provide different vehicles; repair tanks, amphibious vehicles, Hummers and weapons; and supply water, fuel and ammunition.

Our training is aimed at preparing our drivers, medical personnel, cooks, mechanics, and crane and sewer system operators. But first and foremost we are Marines and therefore physical training is also a must. As riflemen we train at different ranges with pistols, rifles and machineguns.

We have the same weapons as other Marine Corps units; among them pistols, HK G-36 rifles and MG-3S machineguns.

Vehicles:

• Hummer vehicles.
• KYNOS tractors and trailers.
• IVECO-PAGASO trucks for cargo and personnel transport.
• Fuel and water tank trucks.
• VEMPAR lorries.
• Kitchen, fridge and power generator trailers.
• ICU ambulances.

The GASC is present in all Marine Corps national and international amphibious exercises or deployments (ADELFIBEX, ANFIBEX, PHIBLEX, CRISEX, MEDATEX, ESPABRAS, etc).

Real operations include:

• Humanitarian aid operation in the aftermath of hurricane "Mitch" in Central America (Nov 98 − Jan 99).
• Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1996 to 2010.
• The Lebanon in September 2006.
• UN mission in Haiti from 2004 to 2005.
• Operation LA HISPANIOLA after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti (Jan − May).

The origins of the GASC are to be found in the extinct Combat Logistic Group (GLC), in charge of providing logistic support to all MC units.