Crawl, walk, run: 2nd Combat Engineering Battalion wastes no time testing its Marines

Photo By Cpl. Andrew Johnston | Assault breaching vehicle operators with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, stage their ABVs during a mechanized breach drill May 4. The exercise was one event during the battalion’s six-day training operation May 1-6.  

CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, UNITED STATES

05.14.2012

Story by Cpl. Andrew Johnston 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Second Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, didn’t waste any time after returning from an Afghanistan deployment in October 2011. In the midst of an approaching deployment, they aimed their sights at a fulltime training matrix with the purpose of achieving complete combat readiness.

In order to test their capabilities 2nd CEB Bn., 2nd Marine Division, launched a six-day training event May 1-6. According to Lt. Col. Eric R. Quehl, the battalion’s commanding officer, the exercise was an opportunity to evaluate everything the Marines had learned since returning and assess the battalion’s functionality as a whole.

“This is all part of a progressive training design,” said Quehl. “When you look at it through a crawl, walk, run standpoint, we’re still in between the crawl and walk phase. In some areas, the battalion is running very fast and, in some areas, we’re still crawling.”

Qeuhl, a Saint Paul, Minn., native, explained one of the main focuses was to make sure everyone was on the same page. With a plethora of new Marines on deck, he said this was a good time for them to learn from their mentors.

“We’re getting new people in and we still have a corps of combat experience at the battalion,” said Qeuhl. “A lot of these Marines have multiple deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and a (Marine Expeditionary Unit). We’re getting a lot of new folks in and we have to get everybody up to speed on what we do here at 2nd CEB.”

Marines tackled scenario-based missions, putting their abilities as an engineering battalion to the test throughout the week. Gigantic assault breaching vehicles plowed through earth barriers while convoys crossing armored vehicle-launched bridges followed. Marines patrolled surrounding areas and provided route clearance. Simulated ambushes and improvised explosive device attacks riddled the training grounds, while casualty evacuation drills were conducted.

“We’re learning a lot out here especially from the (non-commissioned officers) who have deployed,” said Lance Cpl. Mayer W. Cody, a combat engineer with 2nd CEB Bn.

Cody arrived to the unit in December and said being able to train with Marines, who had previously deployed, was pivotal to their mission success. Having combat knowledge passed down is priceless and motivates him and others to focus on their goal— “provide mobility, counter mobility and survivability to the 2nd Marine Division,” said the Pewaukee, Wis., native.

“Once we got to the battalion, we started training right away,” said Cody. “Our NCOs are really experienced and are bringing us up to speed on how things operate. This training op(eration), being with guys who have been there and done that, boosts our confidence levels so we’ll know how to handle these types of situations over (in Afghanistan).”

The six-day event gave the battalion an opportunity to hone in on their combat engineering skills and basic infantry tactics. Overall, the operation had run smoothly and the exercise was another step toward unit readiness and mission accomplishment, said Qeuhl.

“A lot of skills they’re doing out here this week will better prepare them for when the battalion deploys to Afghanistan,” said Qeuhl. “We’re not just training for combat, but any type of event. We’re getting them ready for any clime and place. This battalion has a long time history of excellence and esprit de corps. That’s what we’re building on here and that’s what 2nd CEB is striving to achieve.”

• Date Taken: 05.14.2012
• Date Posted: 05.14.2012 16:35
• Story ID: 88415
• Location: CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US
• Hometown: BLACK RIVER FALLS, WI, US
• Hometown: DUBOIS, ID, US
• Hometown: PEWAUKEE, WI, US