MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. - More than 30 Marines from 4th Combat Engineer Battalion, Baltimore, Md. reserve unit, conducted Military Operations on Urban Terrain training at Combat Town in Quantico on Feb. 20.
Combat Town is comprised of 11 structures used for non live-fire urban training. The training helps units learn firsthand about different tactics, techniques, and procedures that can and will be employed in urban terrain within the operating forces.
For the last two weeks, the Marines have been doing various training events such as rifle, pistol and swim qualifications and other reservists’ annual training.
This urban training is one of the last portions of a two-week pre-mobilization and annual training work up for 4th CEB Marines and augments before they mobilize in March to Camp Lejeune. At Camp Lejeune, the Marines will meet up with more than 100 other Marine reservists from more than 30 different units from across the U.S. to be part of the Special Purpose Marine-Air Ground Task Force/Africa 13-3.
“This is basically an introductory step into MOUT training,” said, Capt. Daniel Rueda, security cooperation team leader, Special Purpose Marine-Air Ground Task force/Africa 13-3. “We don’t foresee doing much urban training in Africa, but it’s a common tactic used by the Marine Corps, so since we have resources available and time we thought a refresher for the Marines would be helpful.”
In July, the Marines will deploy to Sigonella Naval Air Station for 6 months to conduct theater security cooperation training with African partner forces.
Theater Security Cooperation refers to activities conducted with allies in accordance to build: relationships that promote specified U.S. interests, capabilities for self-defense and coalition operations and provide U.S. forces with peacetime and contingency access.
“I’m excited to be going with the SPMAGTF,” said Cpl. Jason Stender, combat engineer, 4th CEB. “Going into Africa with our current mission, we have to be prepared for the anything.
Therefore training will not only help us to train forces over there, but will also keep us ready for whatever occurs weather planned or unexpectedly.”