Marine Aircraft Group 39 hosted leaders from the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) during 'Boots on the Ground' at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, April 27.

The Marines who maintain MAG 39's aircraft and sustain the group's mission readiness gave NAE leaders insight based on their experiences during the event. They had plenty to share about what works and what needs improvement.

NAE connects resource sponsors, such as Headquarters Marine Corps, and providers like the Naval Supply command, with those who direct and monitor requirements. 'Boots on the Ground' bridges the gap between them and the Marines and Sailors they support.

"We know what we're doing in our offices and our day-to-day staff jobs trying to get them the tools they need to succeed," said Deputy Commandant for Aviation (DCA) Lt. Gen. Jon Davis. "We're coming down here and seeing the Marines and Sailors at the pointy end of the spear and what they're doing with the plans, tools and resources we give them, and also what they've done to try to figure out a new way and better way to get the job done."

During the visit, the senior leaders unearthed the issues troubling aircraft maintainers and the ingenuity keeping the flight line operational through individual presentations.

"You get to see the kid who repaired our helicopter helmet cables and his team figured out a way to do it on the line, saving us a lot of money," said Davis. "Their design went back to ... the company that built the cables and they actually redesigned their cables to implement this team's changes. So we take the best ideas and share them throughout the Department of the Navy."

According to the DCA, 'Boots on the Ground' visits provide NAE leaders the tools to institutionalize changes for the benefit of naval aviation and the organization as a whole.

"The Marine Corps is the nation's force in readiness and we have to be ready to go out tomorrow against any fight, anywhere, and these aircraft allow us to do that," Davis explained. "We have to have better readiness today, and this is part of that."

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