Photo By Staff Sgt. Zachary Scanlon | A Marine with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, based out of Marine Corps Base Camp...... read more read more
Subscribe
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. - Marines completed a long-range raid training event at the Western Barry M. Goldwater Range near Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., June 3, as part of their pre-deployment training program, dubbed the Integrated Training Exercise based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
During a combat mission, the battle zone is where the husk of the action takes place, but Marines are trained to account for every circumstance, not just the obvious risk in front of them.
A possible operation that Marine units have been training for is a long-range raid, which is unusual but still plausible.
“A long-range raid is an operation to achieve a mission that is over the horizon,” said Maj. Ronald Chino, a Tactical Training Exercise Control Group air shop “Coyote” and native of Bakersville, Fla. “It is out of the battle space of the regular missions and outside the reach of ground vehicles. Usually, it is done by air when you want to get your men in and out in a hurry.”
The long-range raid exercise was manufactured by TTECG, also known as the Coyotes, as part of the Integrated Training Exercise performed out of Twentynine Palms in the combat village at Western Barry M. Goldwater Range.
“For this long-range raid scenario we had terrorists in the village conducting a meeting with a high-valued individual,” said Chino. “The day prior the terrorists set up security, IEDs and weapons. The next morning the HVI traveled to the village for an important meeting. That is when the raid will take place.”
The training exercises was planned as a joint-service endeavor, with U.S. Army Operational Detachment Alpha special force team of 10th Special Forces Group gathering reconnaissance prior to the raid.
The team was inserted a few kilometers away from the village, then marched towards the village and staged in the surrounding hills.
Once dug into their fighting positions, the team provided essential information to the Marines on terrorists’ location, security and IED placements.
Although the Coyotes organized the raid, there was an extensive amount of preparation required before it could commence.
Those essential components were arranged by the Marines of Marine Wing Support Squadron 272, based out of MCAS New River, N.C., and MWSS-371 from MCAS Yuma, Ariz.
The first priority was setting up a forward armed refueling point, which is a location where the aircraft can refuel away from the main base.
For this operation, MWSS-272, participating in most recent small scale exercise ITX, set up the FARP with assistance from MWSS-371, who provided the necessary equipment.
Chino explained that having a FARP for an exercise like this is not just a nice to have, but a necessity.
“It gives the training a more realistic feel to it, when it is actually too far away from the main base,” said Chino. “Which is why we choose MCAS Yuma as the ideal spot for the raid.”
Flying into the combat village for the raid on CH-53E Super Stallions were the Marines of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif., to begin the assault.
From their insertion point, the Marines located the HVI and simulated eliminating the enemy players. The mission wasn’t finished; a second insertion of a quick reaction force from the same unit secured and eliminated any other threats farther in the village.
“The goal for this raid was to exercise the aviation combat element, a part of this ITX, since aviation is important for this type of exercise (operation),” said Chino.
For this particular raid, the aviation was comprised of CH-53E Super Stallion attached to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462, based out of MCAS Miramar, Calif., UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters attached to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., as well as F/A-18 Hornets attached to Marine Fight Attack Squadron 314, based out of MCAS Miramar.
All of these units were part of the air combat element for this particular raid and the overall training, ITX.
Just as quickly as the Marines commenced the long-range raid, it was finished. Though it was only one mission of the month-long exercise ITX it was valuable because this type of training is performed so infrequently.
With this in mind, the coyotes plan to continue this type of training in the future and expand upon it to provide a priceless asset to the Fleet and the Marine Corps.
| Date Taken: | 06.03.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 06.07.2013 19:07 |
| Story ID: | 108313 |
| Location: | YUMA, ARIZONA, US |
| Hometown: | ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 182 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Marines Going the Distances with Long-Range Raid, by SSgt Zachary Scanlon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
