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thedrifter
06-16-04, 07:42 AM
Exercise Khaan Quest ’04 comes to a close
Submitted by: MCB Camp Butler
Story Identification #: 2004615221646
Story by Pfc. T. J. Kaemmerer



CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan —(June 8, 2004) -- After three weeks of training in Northeastern Mongolia’s Five Hills Training Area, Marines and corpsmen who participated in Exercise Khaan Quest ’04 returned home here June 8.

In the second annual exercise, a detachment of 58 service members with the 3rd Force Service Support Group and the Mongolia Armed Forces’ 150th Peacekeeping Operations Unit participated in the bilateral training exercise aimed at improving the working relationship between the two military forces.

During their deployment, engineers with the 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd FSSG, and Mongolian soldiers constructed a covered heavy machine gun position to improve their skills and illustrate the importance of survivability positions, which are intended to weather the blast from indirect fire like mortars.

The Marines and Mongols selected a site, determined gun positions, coordinated heavy equipment and performed a lot of old-fashioned manual labor, explained Staff Sgt. Douglas J. Rodenberger, platoon sergeant, 9th ESB.

“We put in a lot of long days working with the Mongolians, but it was worth it to show them how we do things and to see what they do,” said Pfc. Jason M. Anderson, combat engineer, 9th ESB. “We also got a chance to see the Russian equipment they use.”
Marine motor transport operators coordinated and conducted convoy maneuvers throughout the exercise using the Russian-made trucks the MAF employs.

The Marines and MAF soldiers learned basic United Nations tactics, which allowed them to work together as a cohesive unit. They practiced these skills because in real-world situations, convoys are likely targets for enemy attacks, explained Cpl. Michael G. McGee Jr., logistics vehicle system operator, 9th ESB.

“We did individual action drills and taught the Mongolians how we set up a 360-degree defensive perimeter around the vehicles, and we learned their defensive tactics were similar to ours,” said Lance Cpl. Chad Trahan, another 9th ESB LVS operator.

Field military policemen with Military Police Support Element, 3rd FSSG, learned Mongolian wrestling techniques and taught pressure points and joint manipulation to give the Mongolians the skills needed to control potentially dangerous situations without resorting to deadly force, explained Staff Sgt. Robert Otero, platoon sergeant.

“It was great working with the Mongolians. They were extremely eager to learn and show us the techniques they use,” said Lance Cpl. Jeremy Douglas Graham, field military policeman. “Some of the techniques were the same, but the ones they didn’t know they learned very quickly.”

Communications specialists with 9th ESB taught the Mongolians how to use global positioning system analysis to plot land navigation coordinates.

The Marines who taught the classes recently graduated from their military occupational specialty school and did an outstanding job instructing the Mongolians during the deployment, explained Staff Sgt. James L. Steen, radio chief, Headquarters and Service Battalion.

Mongolian soldiers and U.S. service members supporting Khaan Quest ’04 also conducted automatic weapons systems training using the M2 .50 caliber heavy machine gun, MK-19 40mm automatic grenade launcher, M240G 7.62mm medium machine gun, M249 5.56mm squad automatic weapon, M16A2 5.56mm service rifle and M9 9mm service pistol.

“My favorite part of the training was getting the chance to shoot the Marine Corps’ weapons,” said Junior Sgt. Amartotgokh Gyygyndai, MAF. “I really appreciate the joint training with the U.S. personnel, and I’m really looking forward to next year.”

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004615221811/$file/Release0281-2004-01low.jpg

FIVE HILLS TRAINING AREA, Northeastern Mongolia – Combat videographer Lance Cpl. Tim Hernandez shows Mongolian Armed Forces Sgt. Khuchett Baatar how to use the sights on the M2 .50 caliber machine gun during Khaan Quest '04. Hernandez and 57 other Marines and sailors with the 3rd Force Service Support Group participated with the Mongolia Armed Forces’ 150th Peacekeeping Operations Unit in the bilateral training exercise aimed at improving working relationships between the two military forces. Photo by: Pfc. T. J. Kaemmerer

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/93277A5A4A2EFB5E85256EB5000C858E?opendocument


Ellie