Balikatan 2011 provides Marines opportunity for demolitions training

Photo By Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr | Marines with Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, launch an AT-4, an anti-tank rocket, here April 10 during Exercise Balikatan 2011. Balikatan 2011 is an annual bilateral training exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military to maintain operational readiness and strengthen the U.S.-Philippine relationship.  

FORT MAGSAYSAY, PHILIPPINES

04.10.2011

Story by Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

FORT MAGSAYSAY, Philippines – Marines with Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, conducted demolition training to maintain combat readiness during Exercise Balikatan 2011 here April 10.

Balikatan 2011 is an annual bilateral training exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military to maintain operational readiness and strengthen the U.S.-Philippine relationship.

The Marines conducted familiarization training with the anti-personnel obstacle breaching system, the shoulder-launched multipurpose assault weapon and the AT-4, an anti-tank rocket system.

“This is good training; it’s getting to know the weapons systems,” said Gunnery Sgt. Hector Lazo, a combat engineer with CAB.

The Marines are also learning to adapt to the weather, said Lazo adding the heat is comparable to Afghanistan where these weapons systems are employed regularly.

“We have a platoon slated to go [to Afghanistan] in the future,” Lazo said. “Half of those Marines going are here training.”

Lazo said his Marines were “very excited” to conduct this weapons training.

“They’ve been waiting for this training evolution since we got here,” he said. “This is what we do as engineers, we blow stuff up.”

It was a good experience to field the actual weapons. It allowed the Marines to get a feel for the safe distance to fire the weapons, see their effect and the feel the firing of an actual load, said Goehring, a combat engineer with CAB.

“Back in Okinawa…we go through a lot of dry runs, [but] this is my first time actually shooting the live [APOB],” he said.

Maintaining combat readiness is vital to Marines; it allows Marines to stay true to their expeditionary roots, Cook said.

“If we’re not operating, we’re not deployed. We’re training in order to prepare ourselves,” said Cook.

Bilateral training conducted during Balikatan 2011 is part of the long-term security assistance program between the Republic of the Philippines and the U.S.

• Date Taken: 04.10.2011
• Date Posted: 04.21.2011 01:17
• Story ID: 69069
• Location: FORT MAGSAYSAY, PH