By Lance Cpl. Jimmy Serena Jr.

The main attraction was a display of the Corps’ aeronautical force during Marine Day 2008. From the MV-22 Osprey to the F⁄A-18D Hornet, almost every aircraft operated by the Marine Corps was on display to give the staff members a glimpse of every aspect of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force.

‘‘Marine Day has been used for years as an opportunity for Congressional staff members to meet Marines and understand what we do,” said Maj. Eric Dent, media officer for Headquarters Marine Corps. ‘‘Congressional staff often have the desire to observe training exercises and learn more about current and future equipment, but often cannot travel to the exercises due to their schedule.”

To kick off the show, an Osprey from Marine Tiltrotor Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 22, Marine Corps Air Station, New River, N.C., showed its ability to transition from helicopter to airplane mode with its tilt rotors.

‘‘With speed and agility, the Osprey can quickly get out of the landing area and away from the threat,” said Col. Scott Reske, narrator for the event. ‘‘In this case, the pilot would accelerate while maneuvering to airplane mode flight in as little as 12 seconds.”

Shortly after watching the Osprey fly off into the distance, the crowed watched an F⁄A-18 Hornet from Marine Fighter Attack All Weather Squadron 224, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., take off and start a holding pattern. Shortly thereafter, an AV-8B Harrier II from 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing showed its ability of both vertical and horizontal take-offs.

‘‘With this lift-off technique, the speed and runway required may be as slow as 50 knots and as short as 100 feet,” Reske said. ‘‘This allows the pilot the greatest flexibility when considering available runways and aircraft gross weight.”

After both jets concluded their high-speed performance, the crowd a Navy’s hovercraft, known as a Landing Craft, Air Cushioned, glided across both the beach and the Potomac River.

The LCAC, which is based at Assault Craft Unit 4 in Norfolk, is almost 88 feet long and 47 feet wide, and can travel at speeds of 50 knots with a payload of 60 tons.

Once all the performances were complete, the staff members explored most of the aircraft. They also got a hands-on look at equipment that may become part of the Corps’ arsenal in the future.

‘‘This is definitely better than Disneyland,” said Taylor Morgan, a Congressional staffer, as he climbed into the pilot seat.

Not only were the visitors allowed to check out the ‘‘ins and outs” of the aircraft, they also learned about where the Corps is headed.

‘‘That is awesome. It is all automated,” said Kenneth Steinhardt, a Congressional staffer, about a mounted semi-automatic weapon system that was computer operated. ‘‘You don’t have to stick your head out.”

Another system in the works is the Electronic Maintenance Support System. The EMSS, an integrated network similar to the commercially available OnStar safety and security vehicle monitoring system, may be installed in all of the Marine Corps’ transportation vehicles, allowing commanders, planners, maintainers and even the driver the capability to track the vehicle’s health, ammunition, mobile load data and more.

After viewing the future of the Corps, the group visited another hangar to tryout meals-ready-to-eat before heading to the range for a live-fire exercise.

‘‘The MREs – not that bad. I mean, the presentation is clearly not what I am used to, but taste wise – not bad,” said Greg Vanhouten. ‘‘I have to think that when you’re not in the field and are able to get a real cooked meal, it must be amazing.”

The staff members were taken to Range 15 to watch a weapons demonstration, which included the MK-19, M-16A2 service rifle, 9 mm pistol and the .50-caliber machine gun.

‘‘The concept of demonstrating capabilities and providing displays has been around for many decades in different forms and at different location,” Dent said. ‘‘Marine Day has been used for years as an opportunity for congressional staff members to meet Marines and understand more about what we do.”