MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marines with the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, and Bermuda army soldiers with Guns and Assault Pioneers conducted demolition and shotgun training exercises May 2, 2013 during Exercise Island Warrior 2013.
This is some of the Bermudan soldiers’ first time being trained by Marines and is the first time since 2011 the Bermudan army has been aboard Camp Lejeune to train with Marines.
Marines trained the Bermudans in basic demolition, advanced demolition, expedient demolition, urban demolition and ballistic breaching, said Sgt. Steven Renner, the chief instructor at Engineer Training Area 3 where the demolition exercises took place.
Demolition training required the Bermudan soldiers to spend two days in the classroom learning about the different types of explosives they would handle during the exercise.
Bermudan soldiers had to apply what was taught in the classroom and use it to create charges that can be attached to explosives for detonation.
The demolition training provided to the Bermudans was different from what they are used to.
Explosive training is not allowed in the island of Bermuda according to Bermudan army Pvt. Ryan Hayling, a soldier with GAP.
“It’s awesome; a once in a lifetime thing,” he said. “The reason why we come out here is because most of the training we do here we can’t do on the island.”
This training was one of the rare times the Bermudan army got to touch explosives.
“The soldiers are really enjoying it,” said Bermudan army Color Sgt. Runecko Edwards, a GAP Gunnery Sergeant.
The Marines also enjoyed training the Bermudans and how much the Bermudans actually wanted to learn.
This was Renner’s first time training Bermudan soldiers. He has trained South Koreans, Spaniards, Afghans and Iraqis in the past.
“It’s exciting to teach students that are excited about the training,” said Renner. “They perform just as well as all the other units that come through [the course].”
Although both the Marines and Bermudan soldiers enjoyed the training, they didn’t forget that the main purposes of the training were to teach and learn.
“The teaching is going to better prepare them for combat situations,” said Renner.
The Bermudan soldiers got a lot of information, and gained plenty of experience, learning how to create and use explosive charges.
The Bermudan soldiers look forward to returning to Camp Lejeune in 2015 to train with Marines.
“We had a good time,” said Edwards. “These are good training grounds and we are looking forward to coming back.”