Photo By Lance Cpl. Donald Peterson | A Marine with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine...... read more read more
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SOUTH KOREA - "GUN TWO RELOADING!" screamed the machine gunner over the clattering sound of the other machine guns firing.
With no hesitation his assistant gunner reloaded the machine gun and tapped the gunner on his head to tell him to fire. "GUN TWO UP!" yelled the gunner as he started firing rounds down range.
"In the heat of battle every second counts," said Corporal Jacob W. Helms, an antitank missileman with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, as part of the Unit Deployment Program.
Marines participating in the exercise Ssang Yong 13 conducted a combined arms live-fire exercise April 29, at Suseong-ri Firing Range, Pohang, Republic of Korea.
The CALFEX was one of the last training events of the exercise, which began in early April.
"It's very rare to ever get a chance to participate in training like this," said Lance Cpl. Gage L. Theriot, a rifleman with 1st Bn., 3rd Marines. "It was a great experience to see how all the elements which make up the Marine Corps ground force come together, and how we can operate with maximum efficiency and accomplish the mission."
The CALFEX consisted of live fire from tanks, light armored vehicles, assault amphibious vehicles and ground infantry.
"It was an adrenaline rush," said Theriot. "Between the tanks firing and all the machine guns shooting as well it felt like a real combat situation, which is why in the Marine Corps we say that 'we train how we fight.’"
The exercise was designed to strengthen the interoperability between the different elements that make up the Marine Corps ground force, according to Staff Sgt. Tyler Rakowski, platoon sergeant for weapons platoon, Company B, 1st Bn., 3rd Marines.
The exercise started off with a tremendous boom from the tanks as they approached their target, followed by the firing of the 25mm Bushmaster cannon mounted on the LAVs.
"After the tanks and LAVs reached their objective point the AAVs were sent in carrying infantryman," said Sgt. Robert A. Jewb, a tank commander with Company A, 4th Tank Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve.
The infantry unit was split into three separate squads firing the M240B medium machine gun, as well M16 A4 assault rifles, M4 assault rifles, and the Infantry Automatic Rifle.
"The unit supplied suppressive fire on their targets from different positions. As they bound forward towards their targets tanks, LAVs and AAVs used their mounted machine guns to apply suppressive fire to cover the Marines as they assaulted forward. Once they reached the final point the remaining targets were taken out by shoulder-launched multipurpose assault weapons, which are shoulder-fired rockets," said Jewb.
The training simulated a two-hour long firefight and ended with great success, according to Jewb.
After the training was over the Marines took the opportunity to discuss what they felt worked well and what could have been better.
"It was a great opportunity to be able to partake in this training," said Helms. "It really helps prepare you for anything you may face in future events as well as gets you in the combat mindset."
| Date Taken: | 04.29.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 05.09.2013 00:59 |
| Story ID: | 106600 |
| Location: | 26, KR |
| Web Views: | 146 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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