BAN CHAM KREM, Thailand – Marines with Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, constructed ranges at the Ban Cham Krem training area here Feb. 8 for live-fire training with Royal Thai Marines during Exercise Cobra Gold 2012.

Heavy equipment operators constructed three different ranges at the Ban Cham Krem training area in an effort to facilitate future training to enhance combat marksmanship. After the conclusion of the exercise, the ranges will continue to be used by the Royal Thai Marines who conduct their training here.

Each range will serve a different purpose. In total, three ranges will be constructed for heavy machine guns, table three fire and an amphibious assault vehicle gunnery range. Upon completion of the ranges, which is scheduled for later this week, Combat Assault Battalion Marines will participate in bilateral training with Royal Thai Marine counterparts.

“These ranges aren’t just important for us, but they’re important for Thai Marines as well,” said Capt. Paul M. Rivera, commanding officer of Amphibious Assault Vehicle Company, Combat Assault Battalion.

Vehicles such as the tractor rubber-tired articulating multipurpose vehicle, or TRAM, and the medium crawler tractor were used to relocate the earth berm, extending the size of the current ranges in place. During the construction, old vehicles and structures will be placed on the range for heavy machine guns.

“This exercise can be done with a lot less footprint,” said Lt. Col. Kirk D. Mullins, commanding officer of Combat Assault Battalion. “But Marines depend on this exercise to meet their training standard where it matters the most."

“The improvements these heavy equipment operators are making to the ranges increases safety significantly. Although time and weather will eventually erode our improvements, the Thai military will benefit from it for some time to come,” said Mullins.

Exercise Cobra Gold is a recurring multinational and multiservice exercise hosted by Thailand designed to advance regional security by exercising a multinational force from nations sharing common goals and security commitments in the Asia-Pacific region.

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