Field MPs drop pins, throw grenades

Photo By Sgt. Devon Tindle | Marines prepare to throw M69 training grenades Aug. 29 at Camp Hansen. The Marines repetitively threw inert grenades to establish muscle memory when the time came to throw live grenades. The Marines are with 3rd Law Enforcement Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, III MEF. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Devon Tindle/Released)  

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JAPAN

08.15.2014

Story by Lance Cpl. Devon Tindle 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan – A Marine stepped into the throwing pit holding an M67 fragmentation grenade. The tower called out, “the line is hot.” The Marine swept the thumb clip as sweat dripped down his face. The Marine yelled out “pull pin” making the grenade ready to throw. Getting into the perfect form, the Marine lobbed the grenade through the air. Five seconds went by and “kaboom” rang out.

This scenario played out 80 times as Marines with 3rd Law Enforcement Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, III MEF, participated in grenade training Aug. 29 at Camp Hansen.

The Marines completed the event as a way to instill confidence and proficiency with the M67 fragmentation grenade.

“This is sustainment training, so we can be more confident with our weaponry,” said Cpl. Fausto P. Taveras, a New York, New York, native and military policeman with Company A, 3rd LE Bn.

The M67 fragmentation grenade is an indirect-fire weapon that has been part of the Marine Corps arsenal since 1971.

Fragmentation grenades may be used to clear rooms during building seizure operations, according Pfc. Jovanny Marquez, a military policeman with Company C, 3rd LE Bn.

The roles and missions for field military police are commonly misunderstood by other service members, according to Lance Cpl. Rian S. Pettus, a military policeman with Company C, 3rd LE Bn. Military policemen with the installations do not focus as heavily on regional crisis and contingency response missions which would fall to the Marines assigned to 3rd LE Bn.

“There are field military policemen that go out and train day-to-day in patrolling, urban operations and convoy operations, acting as the force multiplier for the MEF commander,” said 1st Lt. Richard J. Gerhricke, the training cadre officer in charge with 3rd LE Bn.

The military policemen with the battalion can benefit from this training when faced with escalation of force situations while clearing buildings or patrolling an urban environment, according to Pettus, from Russellville, Arizona. The field military policemen can use grenades as a deterrence factor prior to entering a building or to clear rooms of hostile personnel.

The training happened smoothly with no incidents, according to Gerhricke, from St. Louis, Missouri.

“I think the training went outstanding today,” said Gerhricke. “We spent half the day yesterday with the safety officers teaching (the Marines) safety procedures in case something happened.”

The Marines enjoy coming to the range and throwing the live grenades, according to Marquez, from Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
“We can’t wait to come out here for more ranges, we love them and it’s what we do,” said Marquez.

• Date Taken: 08.15.2014
• Date Posted: 09.10.2014 22:29
• Story ID: 141747
• Location: CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JP
• Hometown: NEW YORK, NY, US
• Hometown: RUSSELLVILLE, AR, US
• Hometown: SCOTTSBLUFF, NE, US
• Hometown: ST. LOUIS, MI, US