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thedrifter
05-19-07, 06:14 AM
May 19, 2007 - 12:00AM
Marines train war partners

KELLEY CHAMBERS
DAILY NEWS STAFF
A delegation of Pakistani Marines toured Camp Lejeune on Friday. By next year, they'll be training here.

The seven officers and one senior enlisted person visited U.S. military sites over a two-week period, which ends at Parris Island, S.C., on Tuesday, to learn ways to enhance their military operations.

Part of the that includes a future spot in each of the U.S. Marine Corps' special training programs - basic training for second lietenants, expeditionary warfare training for captains and command and staff training for majors - starting in Fiscal Year 2008.

"For us, that's the threshold," said Maj. Mikeal Mizell, Regional Affairs Officer, U.S. Marine Forces Central Command, or MARCENT. "Once they cross that, a lot of opportunity will open up (for them.)"

The current group is the first to include an enlisted serviceman in the tour.

"One purpose of this visit is to strengthen and enhance (themselves) and use parts of our training for their own," Mizell said. "This is the first time we as MARCENT have have done this."

During their tour of Camp Lejeune, the Pakistani servicemen visited the base's Military Operations in Urban Terrain Facility, the Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer and the School of Infantry.

At the Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer, or ISMT, the visitors tried their hand at a virtual shooting range. The simulation engages trainees in either point-and-shoot simulations or combat situations using weapons like the M-16 assault rifle, grenades and rocket launchers.

Used as a supplement to the base's shooting ranges, the ISMT helps trainees perfect their marksmanship, Mizell said.

"It's a very very powerful tool and can tell what the problem is before sending a bullet down the range," Mizell said.

The Pakistani Marines are a branch of the Pakistani Navy. Founded in 1990, today they are 2,000 strong and use tours like this to facilitate growth. Using English almost as much as their native language, Urdu, when conducting business, the visiting Marines quickly adapted to the Americanized presentations and exercises.

For nearly the past two years, the U.S. Marine Corps has been working with Pakistan's military force, re-establishing a relationship severed by U.S. sanctions, Mizell said.

"They are now one of our most important partners in the war against terror," said Maj. Greg Butcher, Marine Corps Liason Officer for the Office of Defense to Pakistan. "We take these kinds of trips to Pakistan, (as well.)"

As they grow in number and skill, the Pakistani Marines face a number of challenges and goals, starting with recruit training, Mizell said.

"Their boot camp is nine months long; ours is at three," Mizell said. "Their objective is to shrink that down a bit and streamline it to make it more effective and efficient."

Another challenge is securing additional funds to provide for its own professional military education school and new equipment.

By 2015, Butcher said, the Pakistani Marines expect to be brigade strong, ramping up through training and support from the U.S.

Having an enlisted, non-commissioned officer in the group was also an indicator of Pakistan's commitment to growth and solidarity, Mizell said.

"Staff NCOs and NCOs are the backbone of our Marine Corps," Mizell said. "Having a fleet chief petty officer (here) is a strong signal to us ... We're very happy to see senior enlisted."

U.S. escorts will take the group to Parris Island Sunday, where they will spend the last few days of their visit observing the basics of boot camp and the making of a U.S. Marine.

Before arriving at Camp Lejeune, Pakistani Marines also visited the White House, George Washington University and Quantico, Va.

"We're taking them zero to 60 in about two weeks," Mizell said. "We're showing them how we do business in the hopes that they can emulate that."

Contact Kelley Chambers at kchambers@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, ext. 8462.

Ellie