Photo By Sgt. Austin Long | A student, with the George Washington High School U.S. Navy Junior Reserve Officers'...... read more read more
Subscribe
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Students with the George Washington High School U.S. Navy Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps from Danville, Virginia, visited Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, March 12-13, 2015.
The trip was part of an annual field trip taken by the JROTC to visit a different command or branch each year.
“We wanted to experience the Marine Corps way of life,” said retired Lt. Cmdr. Frank Hitt, the head instructor of the school’s NJROTC program. “We wanted to expose our students to what it might be like to be a Marine.”
The JROTC made several stops aboard Camp Lejeune getting hands-on training and to speak to the Marines instructing them. The students toured the law enforcement battalion to see a demonstration from the K-9 handlers, the Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer to virtually fire weapons and the gas chamber, but did not go inside.
“I get excited about days like today because it’s not teaching Marines, but I’m teaching the future of the Marine Corps,” said Sgt. Marquel Curtis, an ISMT operator. “I think it’s a great opportunity for these kids. They get to come in and get hands-on experience with the different weapons that we use and then they are able to ask us questions and see a little bit of what it’s like on the ground combat element side. I’m glad that I’m able to be a part of their experience.”
While at the ISMT, the students fired the MK19 automatic grenade launcher, the .50-caliber machine gun, M240 Bravo machine gun, M249 squad automatic weapon, M16, M4, Mossberg 590A1 pump action shotgun and the Beretta M9 pistol.
After rotating through the different firing stations, students were afforded the opportunity to talk to the Marines that spent the last two hours teaching them how to fire the different weapons. Questions ranged from what it was like to live in the barracks, to how often the Marines deploy and where Marines get deployed to.
“The trip went very well,” said Hitt. “I’m very satisfied with what the Marines here have done for our students. I think, after this visit, the students will be able to appreciate what the Marines go through. I think this trip has helped some kids that thought they wanted to go into the Marine Corps, be able to see what they have to look forward to. This trip has helped the kids expand their horizons. It’s a real eye opener for them.”
| Date Taken: | 03.13.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.18.2015 13:44 |
| Story ID: | 157376 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US |
| Hometown: | DANVILLE, VA, US |
| Hometown: | TAMPA, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 131 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Navy JROTC visits Camp Lejeune, by Sgt Austin Long, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT