Photo By Matthew Manning | Marines with Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary...... read more read more
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CAMP SCHWAB, Japan - Marines with Combat Assault Battalion conducted convoy operations training at Landing Zone Cardinal here July 11-16.
The battalion, part of 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, conducted the training to familiarize the Marines with basic convoy operations used during deployment.
“This training is to get the Marines familiarized with various weapons systems,” said Staff Sgt. Joseph P. Jackson, a motor transport operations chief with CAB. “We maintain our combat readiness by training for anything that could happen in (combat).”
During this training, Marines learned how to maneuver vehicles through various obstacles that may interfere with their mission.
“It is a four-day training evolution where we are able to simulate many different scenarios,” said Jackson. “We went to the Advanced Motor Vehicle Operators Course and drove our vehicles through an alley with only a few inches of space (on either) side.”
The training was successful and increased junior Marines’ confidence in driving the vehicles, said Jackson.
Marines also had the chance to familiarize themselves with various weapons systems they would use during combat.
Marines trained with the .50-caliber Browning machine gun, said Pfc. James J. Foley, a motor transport operator with CAB. They learned how to set the barrel, adjust the weapon’s headspace and timing, dismantle it, clean it and fire it at its maximum range.
The training is a good way for the Marines to hone their skills and develop unit cohesion, according to Lance Cpl. SirDarius K. Johnson, a motor transport operator with CAB.
“It’s a good (training evolution). It builds unit camaraderie between the new Marines,” said Johnson. “The past couple of days we learned about convoys, the M240B medium machine gun, and we shot the .50-caliber.”
When Marines return from a deployment, junior Marines have an opportunity to learn from those who are more experienced, according to 1st Lt. David W. Stevenson, a motor transport officer with CAB.
“Most of my Marines are fairly young, they just got to our unit from their military occupational specialty school, and this is their first field (training evolution),” said Jackson. “I felt that it was important to have my Marines take part in this training and gain as much knowledge as possible from those who have deployed and used these skills in combat.”
The Marines were extremely motivated the whole time, said Stevenson.
“A lot of them are brand new, and this has been their first experience with some of these things. It has been a good training evolution.”
| Date Taken: | 07.22.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 07.21.2011 20:00 |
| Story ID: | 74099 |
| Location: | CAMP SCHWAB, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 59 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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