PATROL BASE FULOD, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Pre-deployment training is a time when Marines bond and learn to anticipate their fellow Marines. They need to act as one finely-oiled machine when on patrol in Afghanistan so they will know exactly how each Marine reacts in every situation.
Machine gunners with Weapons Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, were the exception, but have used their time in Enhanced Mojave Viper and Afghanistan to build a great working relationship with their Marines.
Sergeant Sam Hoffman III, the machine gun squad leader for Weapons Plt., began the pre-deployment cycle with his Marines in one squad. When needed they were broken down and attached to the rifle platoons and then returned to their section after the training event.
The teams bounced around a lot during the work up which meant with every new assignment they had to learn another squad’s way of operating, said Cpl. John Wienke, a machine gun team leader. The idea is for the teams to work with the platoon they will deploy with so they have consistency.
“Before EMV, we broke up and were attached to each platoon during an exercise or two,” said Hoffman, 25, from Anaheim, Calif.
At EMV the teams were able to start building those bonds and learning the tactics of their platoon. It was important the teams laid the foundation before deploying, said Lance Cpl. William R. Calhoun, a machine gunner for Weapons Plt.
“Being assigned to one squad is easier for me. I know how 1st Squad operates and what to expect,” said Calhoun, 28, from Huntington Beach, Calif., and a 2001 graduate of Marina High School. “More importantly I know what is expected of me.”
After deployment the machine gunners will become their own section again. For NCOs like Wienke, it means they will maintain their camaraderie as a platoon, but will also have varied experiences from different areas of the battle space.
“We are spread out right now, so it makes the bond stronger and makes it really nice when we get to the others,” said Wienke, 23, from Casper, Wyo., and a 2006 graduate of Natrona County High School. “Every weapon’s Marine is going to have a different way of training, coming off this deployment.”
When 1/5 deploys again, the machine gunners will have a broader base of experiences because of what the Marines have learned this deployment. This experience will better prepare them for future deployments by reaching back to the lessons they are learning in Afghanistan serving throughout the battle space.
Despite getting swapped around during the work up, the machine gunners from Co. C have adapted to new tactics during their deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.