MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Mortars, machine guns and rocket blasts rang across Range 408 as Marines and sailors of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, conducted field training, Aug. 24.
The Marines and sailors spent three days sleeping under the stars, Aug 23-25, training with various weapon systems and conducting fire and maneuver exercises in preparation for the company’s upcoming deployment in support of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.
The training began Aug. 23 with squad exercises, mortars and machine guns. The mortar teams practiced operating with a fire control center and forward observer while machine gun teams practiced standard operating procedures.
The training continued Aug. 24 with Marines firing M136 AT-4 rockets during rocket-battle drills. Marines provided suppressing fire from the sides as pairs of Marines moved into position and fired AT-4s at targets in the field.
Lance Cpl. Jose Villegas, Alpha Company squad leader said for many of the Marines, the training was their first time receiving hands-on experience with the rockets.
“It’s important, because at the end of the day you never know if you’re going to be the one carrying the AT-4 to accomplish the mission,” Villegas said. “We need to be able to make mistakes here so that we won’t make mistakes while we’re deployed.”
The training culminated in the afternoon with a combined arms attack, the different elements of the company working together and combining the use of all the weapons systems.
Capt. Jonathan Joannides, Alpha Company commander, said the training helped prepare the Marines for their role in the upcoming deployment as a part of the 31st MEU.
“This training let us work our assault platoon with our supporting platoon and sync them up together for actions on the objective,” Joannides said. “At the end of the day, those elements need to come together and synchronize.”
For some Marines, this training was the first time in the field in their current jobs.
Joannides said the Marines and sailors of his company will conduct more training in the coming months to prepare for their next deployment.
| Date Taken: |
08.24.2011 |
| Date Posted: |
08.30.2011 17:17 |
| Story ID: |
76190 |
| Location: |
CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: |
111 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, 1/4 trains with big guns, by Cpl Tyler Reiriz, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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