MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Marines and sailors with Kilo and Lima Companies, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment received training on embassy reinforcement and non-combatant evacuations by the Special Operations Training Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 24 to 25.
The training was in preparation for an upcoming deployment to different locations in Europe and Africa for the Marines of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines.
“After this training, we will be able to get inserted [via helicopter] and reinforce an embassy,” said 1st Sgt. Jose Guerreiro-Pereira, the company first sergeant for Kilo Co. “You can’t replicate every embassy out there, but we have to practice these core skills.”
The Marines used the Military Operations on Urban Terrain ranges aboard Camp Lejeune to simulate establishing security of and guarding entryways into a U.S. Embassy.
On the second day of their practical application, the Marines were inserted via an MV-22 Osprey at a landing zone near the simulated embassy. They then exited the aircraft and made their way toward the MOUT Town where the objective was.
Once the Marines made it to the simulated embassy in the MOUT Town they immediately set up their security and assigned Marines to different posts and towers to be able to provide a watch over the embassy and the other Marines on the ground level.
“These are all training requirements for their upcoming deployment,” said Marty Klotz, the subject matter expert for stability operations with SOTG. “[The Marines] have to be certified on certain exercises in preparation for their deployment.”
Klotz, who is responsible for training the Marine expeditionary units aboard Camp Lejeune and other special purpose Marine air ground task forces, says he is very happy with how the Marines of 3rd Bn., 8th Marines performed.
“I’m extremely happy with them,” he said. “They’re right on track with where they should be. They did very well in the classes, practical application and work up.”