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thedrifter
03-05-04, 06:04 AM
Marines tactically ‘hit the slopes’
Submitted by: MCB Camp Butler
Story Identification Number: 2004229203912
Story by Cpl. Matthew Barkalow



OJOJIBARA MANEUVER AREA, SENDAI, Japan (Feb 27, 2004) -- Many people are familiar with competitive skiing. It is one of the fastest growing sports today, which can be seen in Olympic competitions and the X Games on ESPN.
But few would see skiing as a form of military maneuvering and transportation. That is exactly what the Marines of F Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, were tasked with during Exercise Forest Light, with the aid of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force.

According to Master Sgt. Dennis Peeke, 2/6 operations chief, and former instructor at the Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, Cali., many of the Marines had never been skiing before and had to start from ground zero, including the proper way of binding the boots to the skis.

“We showed them how to adjust and make toe straps out of 550 cord and how to fit the binding to the boot,” Peeke, a native of Hellertown, Penn. said. “This was the first time for many of them to put on a pair of skis.”

The Marines were taught basic ski techniques, with instruction from JGSDF soldiers and instructors from Bridgeport.

“One of the most important things to keep in mind is it’s not a race,” Peeke said. “It’s all about technique. The idea is to keep a slow, steady movement because everyone needs to get there together so we can fight.”

Peeke said the Marines were taught the diagonal stride, which is a push and glide technique. They also learned the kick-turn, star-turn, transition absorption, which is used when skiing on flat ground in to a ditch or depression, herring bone, and how to side step up a hill. Some Marines learned how to stop using the snowplow technique.

He said it was crucial for them to learn the basics because their skills would be tested just a couple of days later.

“They needed to know the basics because they had a three kilometer ski march just two days later,” he said.

According to Gunnery Sgt. Robert Tagliabue, F Co. gunnery sergeant, the Marines learned a lot from the Japanese soldiers during the ski training.

“They taught us cold weather survival, ski movement and some of their other techniques,” Tagliabue said. “Even with the language barrier, they did an outstanding job of teaching us. They are great instructors.”

He said the training with skis was essential during the exercise.

“This was pretty crucial with the weather and amount of snow we had,” Tagliabue said. “If not for it, some of the terrain here would be pretty much impassable.”
“It’s another skill to help us to operate better,” Tagliabue, a native of Rutherford, N.J. said. “Marines go to every clime and place. This is just another terrain and climate for us.”

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004229204111/$file/Release0075-2004-01low.jpg

OJOJIBARA MANEUVER AREA, SENDAI, Japan - Cpl. Justin Plog, 1st fireteam leader, 2nd Squad, 2nd Platoon, F Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division (front), and soldiers from the 20th Infantry Regiment, Japanese Ground Self Defense Force, look on as Cpl. Bobby Bird, 2nd rifle team leader, 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, F Co., takes a spill into the snow during skiing training Feb. 12. During this part of training, Marines and soldiers were hauled behind a truck with a rope around a half-mile course. Photo by: Cpl. Matthew Barkalow

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/2A90B22FCC8776F785256E4A00091508?opendocument


Sempers,

Roger
:marine: