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The competition itself is designed to emphasize correct tactics, techniques, and procedures while fostering a healthy competition. This has been the first recognized Super Squad Competition within the 4th Marine Division.
The event was divided into three phases: offensive and defensive operations, as well as patrolling; live fire ambush; and combat marksmanship endurance test.
“This training put a lot of stress on the Marines that they have never felt before,” said Marine Sgt. Kohlman Kelsey, a squad leader rifleman with the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment. “[It’s] stress that can be felt in combat, and now they can go teach their junior Marines.”
Alaska was selected for the Super Squad Competition because of the rugged terrains, steep mountain hills, narrow ravines and dense trees, offered the Marines a physically challenging area to train in.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Daniel Langlois, assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, said, some Marines have not deployed or been in a combat situation, so they were able to simulate that by keeping them up through nearly the entire 100 hours while pushing them.
Kelsey admits they made plenty of mistakes while out in the Alaska environment, but everyone who participated now knows what they can and can’t do, and can find better ways to do certain things.
“This training is the most important for the Marines to know that they can be pushed to their limits,” Langlois said. “It breeds competition, esprit de corps, and for the infantry guys, it gives them that warrior ethos.”
In these four days, members were able to work as a team and test their capabilities.
“They’ve endured suffering, hardship, everything we can throw at them, but they did it together,” Langlois said. “Not one person quit, and that is going to come to fruition when these guys are put to the test of combat.”
Marine Cpl. Albert Llamas, a 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment team leader, said the hardest part of the event was navigating through the dense trees and mountains.
Ending the competition without being given much information, the Marines relied on their squad leaders.
“The Marines were tired but they still had to push on the mission,” Langlois said. “So when we look at the success of all of this, even though one team won we were looking at the ultimate outcome of it all. One squad patrolled better, one had a better defense, one shot better than the rest, but ultimately what it came down to in the end was how they worked as a team.”
The event would not happen if not for the joint assistance of the U.S. Army, Alaska National Guard, and the U.S. Air Force.
“From the beginning of the planning phase, it was a joint venture with other services,” Langlois said. “We accomplished that – we got the U.S. Army rappel masters assisting us, to the Alaska National Guard Blackhawk squadron helping us move around to and from training areas and ranges, and the U.S. Air Force supporting us with logistics and transportation.”
To the Marines, teamwork is crucial. If not for their members relying on each other they would not succeed.
“Team work is important,” Langlois said. “There is no way we could have done it without teamwork. Everyone pushing each other. I’m glad that we came together.
“The Marines loves competition,” Langlois added. “They love showing they are the best and truly be the best in the nation. For the Marines who won the competition, they can truly say that they are the best in the nation.”
The winners of the competition were the second squad from 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment.
| Date Taken: | 08.23.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 08.23.2017 20:32 |
| Story ID: | 245774 |
| Location: | JBER, AK, US |
| Web Views: | 135 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Marines compete for best squad, by TSgt Westin Warburton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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