Shaffer
03-19-07, 09:17 AM
Mortar blasts and machinegun fire echoed along the South Korean mountain sides here, as elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit tested its integrated fire support capabilities during a combined arms live fire exercise, March 16.
The MEU’s command element, aviation combat element and ground combat element conducted the CALFEX, at the Multi-Purpose Range Complex to hone their skills through planning and execution by engaging targets with surface and air munitions, according to Col. John Mayer, the MEU commanding officer.
“The beauty and the greatness of doing this exercise here is that this range complex gives us an opportunity to integrate all elements of a Marine Air Ground Task Force in a combined arms live-fire package,” Mayer said. “We don’t have the opportunity to do that often and so we’re taking every advantage of this facility to improve our capabilities.”
With careful planning, using the Marine Corps planning process, the CE and its MEU subordinate commanders, executed the CALFEX in three phases that incorporated light armored reconnaissance vehicles, 81mm mortars, and AH-1W Super Cobra and UH-1N Huey aircraft. The integrated ground fire support was provided by the Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, with air-to-surface munitions provided by Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265 (Reinforced).
According to Maj. Bryan Esprit, the MEU fire support officer, the commanders and staff who were involved in the CALFEX planning, worked diligently in a small amount of time to formulate the exercise.
“This exercise is a testament of the planning staff’s flexibility in carrying out such a complex exercise,” said the 35-year-old Xenia, Ohio, native. “Training here provided us with a different terrain other than Okinawa to conduct fire support planning and execution.”
The scenario began when Marines from the BLT’s 3rd LAR detachment first engaged moving computer-controlled for half an hour before calling in mortar fire. This type of direct fire activity allowed the LAV gunners to sharpen their communication skills if needed during the heat of battle.
“Back at (Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center) Twenty-nine Palms, Calif., we work on ranges that train the individual gunner’s skills,” said Cpl Spencer Steffey, a 21-year-old LAV gunner from Locust Grove, Okla. “This range allowed us to practice our firing commands and communications between vehicles while engaging targets. At one point, we were able to let another vehicle know when we had a jammed gun so they could pick up the fire support.”
As the scenario progressed, enemy positions grew thick and additional 81mm mortar fire was called in by ground forces. Mortar men landed rounds on targets with deadly precision. While the fire missions proved accurate, the exercise displayed some challenges.
According to the MEU fire support controller, Staff Sgt. Casey Brown, from Lisbon, N. D., this was the first time in over a year since the MEU has conducted a CALFEX.
“There is still a large learning curve that we need to hone but we only need to do a few more exercises in order to drastically reduce it,” Brown said.
Meanwhile, as the scenario pressured ground elements to fall back from their positions, close-air support was called in. From nearly two kilometers away, the Cobra and Huey aircraft engaged its target with several 2.75-inch folding-fin aerial rockets, allowing ground forces to reposition themselves.
For one helicopter crew chief, the importance of close air support is well-entrenched among the Marine Corps’ aviation community.
"The cohesion with all the ground units and ourselves worked really well. Even how they called us in for close air support,” said Sgt. Justin Everett, a Huey helicopter crew chief with the ACE. “Everything went smoothly for us. We accomplished our task of combining all the assets together and working as one force. Basically as the ACE, we're here to support the Marines on the ground so they can stay safe and we can provide them relief."
With the CALFEX goals met, the MEU is now preparing for its upcoming participation in Exercise Foal Eagle 2007; a joint training exercise conducted annually involving U.S. and Republic of Korea military forces.
The MEU’s command element, aviation combat element and ground combat element conducted the CALFEX, at the Multi-Purpose Range Complex to hone their skills through planning and execution by engaging targets with surface and air munitions, according to Col. John Mayer, the MEU commanding officer.
“The beauty and the greatness of doing this exercise here is that this range complex gives us an opportunity to integrate all elements of a Marine Air Ground Task Force in a combined arms live-fire package,” Mayer said. “We don’t have the opportunity to do that often and so we’re taking every advantage of this facility to improve our capabilities.”
With careful planning, using the Marine Corps planning process, the CE and its MEU subordinate commanders, executed the CALFEX in three phases that incorporated light armored reconnaissance vehicles, 81mm mortars, and AH-1W Super Cobra and UH-1N Huey aircraft. The integrated ground fire support was provided by the Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, with air-to-surface munitions provided by Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265 (Reinforced).
According to Maj. Bryan Esprit, the MEU fire support officer, the commanders and staff who were involved in the CALFEX planning, worked diligently in a small amount of time to formulate the exercise.
“This exercise is a testament of the planning staff’s flexibility in carrying out such a complex exercise,” said the 35-year-old Xenia, Ohio, native. “Training here provided us with a different terrain other than Okinawa to conduct fire support planning and execution.”
The scenario began when Marines from the BLT’s 3rd LAR detachment first engaged moving computer-controlled for half an hour before calling in mortar fire. This type of direct fire activity allowed the LAV gunners to sharpen their communication skills if needed during the heat of battle.
“Back at (Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center) Twenty-nine Palms, Calif., we work on ranges that train the individual gunner’s skills,” said Cpl Spencer Steffey, a 21-year-old LAV gunner from Locust Grove, Okla. “This range allowed us to practice our firing commands and communications between vehicles while engaging targets. At one point, we were able to let another vehicle know when we had a jammed gun so they could pick up the fire support.”
As the scenario progressed, enemy positions grew thick and additional 81mm mortar fire was called in by ground forces. Mortar men landed rounds on targets with deadly precision. While the fire missions proved accurate, the exercise displayed some challenges.
According to the MEU fire support controller, Staff Sgt. Casey Brown, from Lisbon, N. D., this was the first time in over a year since the MEU has conducted a CALFEX.
“There is still a large learning curve that we need to hone but we only need to do a few more exercises in order to drastically reduce it,” Brown said.
Meanwhile, as the scenario pressured ground elements to fall back from their positions, close-air support was called in. From nearly two kilometers away, the Cobra and Huey aircraft engaged its target with several 2.75-inch folding-fin aerial rockets, allowing ground forces to reposition themselves.
For one helicopter crew chief, the importance of close air support is well-entrenched among the Marine Corps’ aviation community.
"The cohesion with all the ground units and ourselves worked really well. Even how they called us in for close air support,” said Sgt. Justin Everett, a Huey helicopter crew chief with the ACE. “Everything went smoothly for us. We accomplished our task of combining all the assets together and working as one force. Basically as the ACE, we're here to support the Marines on the ground so they can stay safe and we can provide them relief."
With the CALFEX goals met, the MEU is now preparing for its upcoming participation in Exercise Foal Eagle 2007; a joint training exercise conducted annually involving U.S. and Republic of Korea military forces.