Building teamwork, camaraderie ELMACO challenges Marines

Photo By Cpl. Adeline Smith | Lance Cpl. Tyler J. Burgoyne, left, and Cpl. Zakarre C. Markley assemble the M249B squad automatic weapon system during a fundamental’s day Oct. 30 on Camp Kinser. The day consisted of a three-mile conditioning hike, gas chamber training, and land navigation before following their given points to seven stations across Camp Kinser. Burgoyne, from St. Cloud, Florida, is a ground radio repairman. Markley, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a telephone system and personal computer repairer. Both Marines are with Electronics Maintenance Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Diamond N. Peden/Released)  

CAMP KINSER, OKINAWA, JAPAN

10.31.2014

Story by Lance Cpl. Adeline Smith 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP KINSER, OKINAWA, Japan - Every Marine is a rifleman. From day one, recruits learn that this is to be expected of them, regardless of occupational specialty. Should a time of war ensue, they must be prepared to take up their rifles and effectively lead their Marines to accomplish the mission.

To maintain this stigma, Marines must take the time to familiarize themselves with the core skills they learned throughout recruit training and Marine Combat Training, such as fire team positions and combat lifesaving skills.

To assist with this need, Electronics Maintenance Company participated in a fundamentals day Oct. 30 starting on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and transitioning to Camp Kinser.
The company is part of Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

The day consisted of a three-mile hike, gas chamber training, and brushing up on land navigation before following their given points to seven stations across Camp Kinser where they participated in varying core skills challenges.

“The purpose of the event was to reacquaint the Marines with fundamental core skills,” said Gunnery Sgt. Charles A. Spencer the first sergeant of ELMACO. “Shoot, move and communicate, that’s what every Marine needs to do regardless of their Military Occupational Specialty, and that’s what we were trying to get out of today’s event.”

The core skills taught at the different stations throughout the afternoon involved effectively communicating via radio, proper application of camouflage face paint and a familiarization with the M249B squad automatic weapon.

“At each station, we did various tasks to reintroduce basic Marine concepts that aren’t commonly used by communications technicians,” said Lance Cpl. Patrick D. Wassall, a telephone system and personal computer repairer with ELMACO. “The things that were covered were good, like the fire teams overlapping lanes of fire and the field expedient medical care. I doubt most people store away that information, but because it was reintroduced, they could recall that knowledge in a stressful environment.”

To be better prepared for a deployment, Marines were assessed on teamwork and put into a mindset where they are tired and still have to execute tasks that are physically and mentally challenging, according to Cpl. Chandele J. Macey, a telephone system and personal computer repairer with ELMACO.

To conclude the event, the company ended the day with a barbecue to enhance camaraderie and build unit cohesion.

“Our company is really good at doing events like this and bringing people together, so we have really good camaraderie at ELMACO,” said Macey. “The barbecue was a nice way to include the higher ups in that too. I think it was a good experience overall.”

• Date Taken: 10.31.2014
• Date Posted: 11.06.2014 20:59
• Story ID: 147282
• Location: CAMP KINSER, OKINAWA, JP
• Hometown: INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MN, US
• Hometown: OWEGO, NY, US
• Hometown: ST. CLOUD, FL, US
• Hometown: TULSA, OK, US