Thai, US Marines form brotherhood

Photo By Sgt. Aaron Hostutler | Gunnery Sgt. Victor Lopez, Scout Sniper Chief Instructor, Weapons Platoon, Landing Force Company, comprised of elements from 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, draws crosshairs on a board while Royal Thai Marine Petty Officers 1st Class Ekapot Sengsie, left, and Nantawit Chunjan, right, get practice time as a sniper team May 12 at Sattahip Naval Base, Thailand. The Marines are participating in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training 2011. CARAT 2011 is a series of bilateral exercises held annually throughout Southeast Asia to strengthen relationships and enhance force readiness.  

SATTAHIP NAVAL BASE, THAILAND

05.20.2011

Story by Cpl. Aaron Hostutler 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

Marine snipers with Landing Force Company instructed Royal Thai Marines on applying the fundamentals of marksmanship to sniper tactics during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training here May 12.

CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually throughout U.S. Pacific Command’s area of operations and is designed to enhance readiness and strengthen peace and stability throughout the region.

Landing Force Company is an amphibious force comprised primarily of Marines with 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, reinforced by 4th Amphibious Assault Battalion.

“Our goal as snipers is a first-round impact with every shot,” said Gunnery Sgt. Victor Lopez, scout sniper chief instructor with Weapons Platoon, Landing Force Company. “If they don’t get these fundamentals, they can’t effectively engage targets.”

Throughout the training, Lopez and his fellow instructors discussed windage, trigger control, breathing control and how to effectively work as a sniper team.

Sgt. Greg Blincoe, a scout sniper instructor with the company’s headquarters platoon, added, “after they get behind the weapon, they seem to pick it up really quick.”

One of the main themes Lopez and his instructors stressed to Thai counterparts was the importance of the relationship between the sniper and the spotter.

“The sniper has only two things on his mind; the fact that he is about to take someone’s life, and how he is going to do that,” Lopez said.

Because the sniper is so focused on that one shot, it is the observer’s responsibility to call the wind, range and to tell the sniper where his round impacted.

“The training is very good. It helps me to have more knowledge,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Chaiyoot Moonthongchoon, Royal Thai Marine Corps. “I got to train on different equipment and learn more techniques.”

“We want to impart some of our sniper culture,” said Sgt. John Phillips, a scout sniper instructor for the training. “They did really well and we want to inspire them to build their own sniper culture.”

In addition to sniper training, the U.S. and Thai Marines also focused on jungle survival, amphibious assault tactics, martial arts, combat lifesaving skills and participated in combat marksmanship throughout CARAT.

CARAT helps to increase alliance interoperability between Thai and U.S. forces while building enduring personal relationships between individuals. This type of development ensures when future events call for the nations to work side by side, they are ready to respond together to increase the operational readiness of the participating forces.

For additional photos, visit www.okinawa.usmc.mil.

• Date Taken: 05.20.2011
• Date Posted: 05.19.2011 18:46
• Story ID: 70705
• Location: SATTAHIP NAVAL BASE, TH