Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School Marines retire the colors during the activation ceremony of the Communication Training Battalion at Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray Field, March 12, 2015. The pinnacle of the ceremony was the uncasing of the American flag and Marine Corps flag, which signified the beginning of a unit’s history and lineage. (Official Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Medina Ayala-Lo/Released)

Photo by Lance Cpl. Medina Ayala-Lo

Activation of CTB marks beginning of new era

12 Mar 2015 | Lance Cpl. Medina Ayala-Lo Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS -- An activation ceremony for Communication Training Battalion was held at Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray Field, March 12, 2015.

“Within the last three years, it has all come to fruition,” said Lt. Col. Speros C. Koumparakis, commanding officer, CTB. “The entire Marine Corps needed to look at structure and places in which we could build efficiency.”

In the Marine Corps, communication is the third largest Military Occupational Specialty. For years, the training of commissioned and enlisted was conducted in separate locations. Officers were trained at a communications school at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., and enlisted Marines were trained at the Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School aboard the Combat Center. Although both schools provided training for the same occupational specialty, their missions were different. After nearly 60 years at Edson Hall in Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., the Communications School was deactivated on June 19, 2014, in a ceremony aptly named "End of an Era."

“Today we have activated the Communication Training Battalion, combining training of officer and enlisted under one commander,” said Col. Andrew Murray, former commanding officer, Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School. “The history of MCCES and the history of Communication School began in Quantico in 1942, with the establishment of the Signal School. In establishing the Communication Training Battalion this morning we have come full circle.”

For the ceremony, the unit was stood in formation on the field as an announcer explained the mission of the battalion. The pinnacle of the ceremony was the uncasing of the American and Marine Corps flags, which signified the beginning of the battalion’s history and lineage.

“One of things we talk about is how we can inspire junior Marines,” Koumparakis said. “It’s about taking a Marine who wants to do something great, and inspiring them to understand why they’re in the classroom and get them ready to go out to the fleet and help those commanders support communications across the full range of operations.”