1/7 spouses receive glimpse of Marines’ training

Photo By Cpl. Thomas Mudd | Spouses of 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment Marines, shoot M4 rifles at Range 106 during the battalion’s Jane Wayne Day aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., Oct. 14, 2016. (Official Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Thomas Mudd/Released)  

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, UNITED STATES

10.14.2016

Story by Cpl. Thomas Mudd 

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center

Spouses of 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, spent a day in the boots of their Marine during the battalion’s Jane Wayne Day aboard the Combat Center, Oct. 14, 2016.
To promote unit camaraderie and family readiness, the unit invited spouses to participate in a variety of training events commonly conducted aboard the installation.
“There is so much that we don’t understand about what our Marines do,” said Esther Aguilar, spouse of Cpl. Joseph Aguilar, rifleman, 1/7. “Today, we got to see some of what they go through. Most of us had our Marines with us, helping us get through some of the areas and showing us what to do.”
The Marines and their spouses had the opportunity to participate in the obstacle course, the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle Roll-Over Simulator and the Combat Convoy Simulator, as well as to fire an M4 carbine at Range 106.
“Some Marine spouses have never experienced the training that their Marines participate in,” said Mary Freese, family readiness officer, 1/7. “This allows those Marines to show their spouses what they do while they are training. All the spouses who participated had a great time with the O-Course and shooting rifles. They learned a lot about the lives of their Marines; what they do and why they do it.”
The Marines of the event took the event to prepare themselves for their training. Knowing that they don’t have troubles within their homes they can focus on their training and future deployments.
“Unit readiness comes from Marines and their families,” said Lt. Col. Eric Clark, battalion commander, 1/7. “The intent was to bring the families in 1/7 closer together. The Marines will be able to focus on their training knowing that everything at home is fine. With their focus on training, we can make sure they come back home to their families and they may continue to live happily.”

• Date Taken: 10.14.2016
• Date Posted: 10.20.2016 10:53
• Story ID: 212453
• Location: MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, US