French marines train with 2/3 in allied exercise

Photo By Cpl. James Sauter | A French airborne marine escapes from the helicopter egress trainer at the pool here Tuesday during the joint U.S.-French training exercise “Americal." “The kind of training we’re doing with the French is peculiar,” Staff Sgt. Stephan Kaphart, platoon commander, Fox Company, 2/3, said. “The kind of training like the obstacle course and helo dunker is the same in France, but ours is more difficult.”  

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HI, UNITED STATES

09.27.2011

Story by Pfc. James Sauter 

Marine Corps Base Hawaii

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Hawaii - A French platoon of 35 airborne Marines came to Marine Corps Base Hawaii last week for the ongoing joint training exercise “Americal” with Marines from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.

The French platoon from the 8th Parachutist Infantry Regiment arrived Sept. 22 and their training with the Marines is scheduled to conclude Oct. 10. The French Marines will follow 2/3’s training schedule during their time here. As part of the exercise, the Marine Corps sent one platoon from Fox Company, 2/3, to New Caledonia, a French controlled island northeast of Australia, where the remainder of the French regiment is currently training.

Marines of 2/3 and their French counterparts began the exercise with the obstacle course at the Boondocker training area and the helicopter egress trainer at the base pool, which simulates a helicopter emergency landing over water. Known by most as the “helo dunker,” passengers must use a breathing apparatus and then escape the submerged fuselage after it has turned upside down.

“This is my first time doing helo dunker training,” French Pfc. Anthony Bourriaud, 8th Parachutist Infantry Regiment, said. “This is my first time coming to Hawaii and it’s also a chance to see how the U.S. Marines work and train.”

Each French Marine was instructed individually and shown what it’s like to be submerged upside down in a camouflage utility uniform before being trained in the helo dunker in groups. Each group performed the simulation three times.

“The kind of training we’re doing with the French is interesting,” Staff Sgt. Stephen Kaphart, platoon commander, Fox Company, 2/3, said. “The training like the obstacle course and helo dunker is the same in France, but their courses are more difficult.”

After the helo dunker, the French will accompany the Marines to the Kaneohe Bay Range Training Facility here and the Army’s Kahuku Training Area near North Shore Oct. 3 and 4 for combat life saving and weapon systems training. The training will include mortar systems, M240B machine guns and drills with other U.S. weapons. In turn, the Marines of 2/3 will have the chance to operate the French Famas F1 assault rifle.

“Going up in the helo dunker was quite an experience when it turns upside down under water,” Bourriaud said. “However, coming here to train with the Marines is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

After the training week, the French have weekend liberty to see the base and Oahu in addition to joining Marines of 2/3 for a sports competition barbecue Oct. 7 before returning to their unit in New Caledonia.

• Date Taken: 09.27.2011
• Date Posted: 10.04.2011 13:01
• Story ID: 77996
• Location: MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HI, US