Competition creates combat cohesion for 3rd Marine Division

Photo By Sgt. Cedric Haller | Sgt. Maj. Paul G. McKenna, center, from Trenton, New Jersey, congratulates Marines on a job well done following the conclusion of the 3rd Marine Division Annual Rifle Squad and Crew-Served Weapons Competition Sept. 12 at the Central Training Area. The competition encompassed a variety of proficiencies Marines may need while in a combat environment to include the grenade throwing course, intermediate swimming qualification, combat life-saving drills and firing the M2 .50-caliber Browning machine gun, M240B medium machine gun, M249 squad automatic weapon, the MK19 40 mm automatic grenade launcher, and 60 mm mortar weapon system. McKenna is the sergeant major of 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force.  

CENTRAL TRAINING AREA, OKINAWA, JAPAN

09.12.2014

Story by Lance Cpl. Cedric Haller 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

CENTRAL TRAINING AREA, OKINAWA, Japan — Camping, hiking, swimming and shooting firearms may sound like the ideal camping trip, but for the 3rd Marine Division it was a recipe for creating a demanding competition.

Marines with various units assigned to 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, participated in the 3rd Marine Division Annual Rifle Squad and Crew-Served Weapons Competition Sept. 10-12 at Camp Hansen and the Central Training Area.

“This week has been (physically demanding) for all of us,” said Sgt. Robert A. Tenfingers, an assault amphibious vehicle crew chief with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, under the unit deployment program. “I’ve been referring to this competition as (AAV) appreciation week. Usually, I would just get in my vehicle and that’s all I would have to do, but out here we have to carry all of our gear around, and the packs are pretty heavy.”

The competition encompassed a variety of proficiencies Marines may need while in a combat environment to include the grenade throwing course, intermediate swimming qualification, combat life-saving drills and firing the M2 .50-caliber Browning machine gun, M240B medium machine gun, M249 squad automatic weapon, the MK19 40 mm automatic grenade launcher, and 60 mm mortar weapon system.

“This competition tested the units and squad leaders’ capability with the different weapon systems,” said Staff Sgt. Jairo A. Medina, a water support technician with Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, and Morristown, New Jersey, native. “It builds a lot of confidence in the Marines when engaging targets with all these different weapon systems. It allows them to actually see it on paper.”

Maintaining the spirit of infantry skills performed throughout the competition is vital to mission accomplishment when under operational duress, according to 2nd Lt. Sean M. Blochberger, a combat engineer officer with CAB.

“All of the Marines came here with some form of proficiency with some of the weapons systems,” said Blochberger, from Alexandria, Virginia. “This competition reflects upon why those skills are essential, and it’s a chance for the Marines to demonstrate to us that they can be proficient in that skill regardless if using these weapon systems is in their day-to-day functions.”

Some of the tasks the Marines were faced with were uncharted territory for them, according to Tenfingers, from Pine Ridge, South Dakota.

“I haven’t had to dig a fighting hole since Marine Combat Training, which was almost seven years ago,” said Tenfingers. “Some of the Marines may have never dug a proper fighting hole before and don’t know how to (properly) set up a fighting position. Just trying to get back to the basics is what I think the whole ideal is behind this competition.”

Marines with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, won first place in the rifle squad portion, while Marines with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, won first place in the heavy machine guns, mortars and the medium machine guns.

“This has been a challenging week, among many, in which the Marines prepared for these events,” said Maj. Gen. H. Stacy Clardy III, the commanding general of the division. “I really appreciate all the hard work the Marines have put into this competition.”

• Date Taken: 09.12.2014
• Date Posted: 09.23.2014 22:32
• Story ID: 143089
• Location: CENTRAL TRAINING AREA, OKINAWA, JP
• Hometown: ALEXANDRIA, VA, US
• Hometown: COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, US
• Hometown: DETROIT, MI, US
• Hometown: EUREKA, CA, US
• Hometown: MANCHESTER, NH, US
• Hometown: MORRISTOWN, NJ, US
• Hometown: PINE RIDGE, SD, US
• Hometown: RINGGOLD, GA, US
• Hometown: TRENTON, NJ, US