Photo By Lance Cpl. Stephen Benson | A helicopter waits above the ground to evacuate a simulated casualty as fellow Marines...... read more read more
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FALLON, Nev. — In the midst of their fast-paced deployment for training, leaders within a Marine Special Operations Company from 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command executed a critical portion of their preparation for combat by conducting a close air support full mission profile event. Each Marine Special Operations Team within the company conducted a long-range movement in conjunction with actual fixed- and rotary-wing CAS as part of the event.
FMP events demand that the Marines and Sailors prepare themselves as they would prior to real combat operations. The event presents the team members with an objective that they would commonly receive when deployed. As the operators attempt to complete that objective, they encounter multiple obstacles along their way. Obstacles include anything from difficult terrain and checkpoints to enemy ambushes and simulated improvised explosive devices.
The scenarios and obstacles are coordinated by the company leadership and civilian professionals that provide enemy role players and realistic weaponry. The role players and the weapons they use are as real as they can safely manage in an effort to immerse the Marines and Sailors in a combat environment.
MSOTs are given the opportunity, through the FMP events, to formulate, practice and modify their standard operating procedures to successfully overcome unforeseen or unexpected situations. These include how to maneuver to effectively engage the enemy, coordinate communications between team members and to direct close air support.
During the FMP, the MSOTs were able to coordinate with multiple aviation assets from a Carrier Air Group also training in Nevada. This training asset added to the realism and gave the Joint Tactical Air Controllers within the team practice at coordinating a casualty evacuation, as well as directing fixed- and rotary-wing CAS. It also helped the corpsman in the team get the training on how to successfully execute scenarios where they sustain casualties.
In the desert of Nevada, where the exercise took place, the terrain and climate is similar to Afghanistan. In the likely event that the MSOC deploys to conduct special operations there, they will be well prepared to not just maneuver in the terrain, but use it to their advantage. Training in a realistic environment lessens the likelihood that the MSOTs' actions will be dictated by a limited knowledge of the terrain and environmental conditions.
When the teams concluded their FMP event, they conducted after-action reviews. The reviews gave the teams time to assess the quality of the exercise and the effectiveness of their responses to the different scenarios. It is important for the operators to analyze their individual and group performances afterward. Not only do the Marines and Sailors get the benefit of improved capabilities, but the training staff learns how to better prepare them for combat in the future.
| Date Taken: | 04.16.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 05.04.2009 12:51 |
| Story ID: | 33177 |
| Location: | FALLON, US |
| Web Views: | 341 |
| Downloads: | 290 |
This work, Marine Special Operations Command practices war-fighting with Full Mission Profile exercise, by LCpl Stephen Benson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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