Shaffer
06-19-05, 09:27 PM
Light Armor Reconnaissance Company, Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, arrived in Guam May 29 and gave military operation urban training to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5, 30th Naval Construction Regiment, here June 2, during Exercise Kennel Bear 2005.
The training, which concluded June 9, consisted of room clearing, MOUT convoy training, security patrol training and a mock conflict between NMCB 5 and LAR Co., explained Petty Officer 1st Class D. Ray Marsh, the lead petty officer for the mobile training team from NMCB.
The purpose of the evolution was to give the Seabees hands-on practical application of various combat skills before their graded evolutions later this year, which are held at Port Hueneme, Calif., Marsh stated.
“The Seabees conduct this type of evolution on a yearly basis and is usually taught by Marines or a combination of Marines and other members of the NCMB,” Marsh said.
Forty Marines and 280 sailors deployed to Guam for the exercise, which taught the sailors basic combat skills and marked the first time 3rd LAR Co. had conducted MOUT as scouts, explained Cpl. Matthew D. Watkins, 2nd platoon squad leader.
During the training, weapons such as M16A2 service rifles, MK19 grenade launchers and shoulder-fired multipurpose assault weapons were used, Marsh explained.
Certified MOUT course instructors, Watkins and a squad leader from 1st platoon, Sgt. Daniel P. Sullivan, taught the sailors a course they spent 67 hours writing, Watkins explained.
“MOUT is imperative because the majority of terrorist activities take place on urban terrain,” Watkins said.
Classroom instruction and a briefing took place before the practical application portion of the training, Watkins stated. After two days of classroom training, there were field exercises where the Seabees set up a defensive position in an urban environment, and the Marines staged a mock aggression against their position.
“We used harassing tactics on convoys and deliberate attacks on their defensive position,” Watkins said. “Also, during the aggression, we evaluated the performance of the Seabees.”
Watkins stressed the importance of realistic training in order to increase survivability in a real-world conflict.
“Becoming complacent while at their home base would be a dire mistake for service members,” Watkins said. “Exercises like these are great opportunities for my Marines and Seabees to hone the skills necessary to stay alive when deployed to a combat zone.”
The training, which concluded June 9, consisted of room clearing, MOUT convoy training, security patrol training and a mock conflict between NMCB 5 and LAR Co., explained Petty Officer 1st Class D. Ray Marsh, the lead petty officer for the mobile training team from NMCB.
The purpose of the evolution was to give the Seabees hands-on practical application of various combat skills before their graded evolutions later this year, which are held at Port Hueneme, Calif., Marsh stated.
“The Seabees conduct this type of evolution on a yearly basis and is usually taught by Marines or a combination of Marines and other members of the NCMB,” Marsh said.
Forty Marines and 280 sailors deployed to Guam for the exercise, which taught the sailors basic combat skills and marked the first time 3rd LAR Co. had conducted MOUT as scouts, explained Cpl. Matthew D. Watkins, 2nd platoon squad leader.
During the training, weapons such as M16A2 service rifles, MK19 grenade launchers and shoulder-fired multipurpose assault weapons were used, Marsh explained.
Certified MOUT course instructors, Watkins and a squad leader from 1st platoon, Sgt. Daniel P. Sullivan, taught the sailors a course they spent 67 hours writing, Watkins explained.
“MOUT is imperative because the majority of terrorist activities take place on urban terrain,” Watkins said.
Classroom instruction and a briefing took place before the practical application portion of the training, Watkins stated. After two days of classroom training, there were field exercises where the Seabees set up a defensive position in an urban environment, and the Marines staged a mock aggression against their position.
“We used harassing tactics on convoys and deliberate attacks on their defensive position,” Watkins said. “Also, during the aggression, we evaluated the performance of the Seabees.”
Watkins stressed the importance of realistic training in order to increase survivability in a real-world conflict.
“Becoming complacent while at their home base would be a dire mistake for service members,” Watkins said. “Exercises like these are great opportunities for my Marines and Seabees to hone the skills necessary to stay alive when deployed to a combat zone.”