Photo By Sgt. Amber Bohlman | Marines with the 4th platoon, Marine Corps Security Force Company hold a steady...... read more read more
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GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba— Learning to correctly and accurately shoot is a large part of what it means to be a Marine. Marines with the Marine Corps Security Force Company here spent Feb. 11 and 12, and Feb. 18 and 19 qualifying on machine guns to ensure mission readiness at Guantanamo Bay.
The Marines here spend most of their time in the guard towers, watching the perimeter of the naval station, while constantly training to keep their skills sharp.
“Today’s mission here is to make sure that everyone knows how to operate and work a 249, a 240, .50 cal. and a MK 19 correctly, without having any problems,” said Lance Cpl. Jarrett Beck, a machine gunner with 4th platoon.
The noncommissioned officers in charge of each MCSFCO platoon chose 12 Marines per platoon over a two week period to get reacquainted with many different types of machine guns.
Lance Cpl. Christopher Salinas, an infantry rifleman with 4th platoon, said they went through a crash course in basic weapons handling procedures, a review of the qualification table that they will be shooting and how to disassemble and reassemble each of the weapons correctly while making sure they were safely able to fire.
Beck said the remedial training was a reminder of what he went through during his basic instruction at machine gunner school, except that this was a lot easier.
“School for a machine gunner consisted of lots and lots of staying up past two in the morning, disassembling weapons, going over knowledge, hiking mountains up in California with the .50 cal., MK 19, 240 and the SAW,” Beck said.
For others, being a machine gunner is not their primary job; the excitement of getting behind these big weapons is almost overwhelming.
“When I’m shooting these guns I get these sweet little tingly butterflies in my stomach,” Salinas said. “It feels good being on the firing line, feeling how powerful the weapons are and smelling the carbon in the air.”
Unlike the other services here at GTMO, when the day is over these Marines don’t get to go back to the comforts of their barracks. With very little time until dusk they camp out, pulling guard to watch the ammunition and wait for the early morning light to peak over the Cuban mountains signifying the start to another day at the range.
| Date Taken: | 02.27.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.03.2015 11:05 |
| Story ID: | 155789 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: | 55 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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