Photo By Sgt. Theodore Ritchie | Marines from Kilo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment,...... read more read more
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By Lance Cpl. Justin M. Martinez
FORT PICKETT, Va. -- Marines with Kilo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, learned squad attack techniques, Oct. 2-3, 2008, during a field training exercise aboard Fort Pickett, Va., a Virginia Army National Guard Maneuver Training Center.
This preparation is part of off-site training for BLT 3/2, the first major training evolution of the 22nd MEU's six-month pre-deployment training cycle.
"The object of this training is to form and maneuver as a squad in order to assault through an objective," said Sgt. Steven A. Ruddle, the platoon sergeant for Kilo's 1st Platoon and a native of Wayne County, Tenn. "This training is what we do as infantrymen. Close with and destroy the enemy."
The training the Kilo Marines experienced on Fort Pickett gave them a chance to conduct a number of common infantry skills.
"It's good to have these Marines come out here and utilize some of these traits they have learned in the past six months since they've been to the fleet," said Staff Sgt. Ian J. McConnell, the platoon sergeant for Kilo's 3rd Platoon, from Charleston, S.C.
The 22nd MEU is expeditionary in nature, said McConnell. These Marines may use this training on foreign shores.
It's important that the individual squads can operate and work together successfully, moving toward the objective without any outside assets, Ruddle added.
Marines have several tools to help them visualize how to attack an objective.
The Marines set up detailed terrain models on the ground using rocks, leaves and whatever they could find, to turn a two-dimensional map image into a three-dimensional display to better understand the lay of the land, said Pfc. Jeremy W. Vasquez, a fire-team leader with 3rd Platoon, Kilo Co., from Cincinnati.
"The terrain model is a great asset," Ruddle said. "It gives the individual marines an understanding of where they are going to be, whose going to be around them and the key terrain features they will be looking at."
The Marines from Kilo also used the ground to aid in defeating the enemy, digging different types of fighting holes.
Pfc. John Margaritondo, a machine-gunner from Kilo's weapons platoon, said the fighting holes provide protection from hostile observation and fire for their machine-gun positions.
"We also dug trenches between each fighting hole," added Margaritondo. "So if we need more ammo we can low crawl in the trench."
The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is a scalable, multipurpose force of more than 2,200 Marines and sailors. Commanded by Col. Gareth F. Brandl, it consists of its Ground Combat Element, BLT 3/2; Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; and its Command Element.
The 22nd MEU is currently conducting pre-deployment training and is scheduled to deploy this spring. For more information about the 22nd MEU, visit the unit's Website at www.22meu.usmc.mil.
| Date Taken: | 10.03.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.15.2008 17:22 |
| Story ID: | 25037 |
| Location: | FORT PICKETT, US |
| Web Views: | 634 |
| Downloads: | 322 |
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