thedrifter
07-13-07, 06:54 AM
His secondary occupation assures Marines aboard Camp Pendleton remain cool, but he can still lay some heat on the enemy.
Sgt. Sean A. Morel is an air conditioning mechanic who can disassemble an M-2 .50-caliber machine gun in less than three minutes.
Marines from Occupational Specialties across the board attend the five-day Machine Gunner's Course at Division Schools to help fulfill their primary role as riflemen first.
Every Marine's a rifleman, and any Marine could end up in a convoy, said Lance Cpl. Matt E. Cheney, 23, from Houston.
"If you don't know how to fix the weapons or maintain them, it may mean the life of you or the guys in your truck," said Cheney, a military policeman for Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group.
Besides assembly, disassembly, cleaning and firing, students in the course learn the history of machine guns in warfare. Starting from the Gatling Gun in 1862 and ending with the M-240G Machine Gun, the course covers the in-depth evolution of automatic weapons.
After the class, some of the Marines were surprised at the longevity of the U.S. Armed Forces' weapons systems.
"I think the fifty-cal is the best machine gun in the Marine Corps," said Lance Cpl. Jimmy M. Hildebrand, 22, from Lancaster, Pa. "It's diverse, powerful, and it's been used for a long, long time," concluded Hildebrand, an MP with CLR-17, 1st MLG.
Variants of the M-2 .50-caliber Machine Gun have been in use since World War II. The youngest weapon, the M- 240G medium machine gun, was not adopted by the Marine Corps until 1994.
Despite their age or history, proficiency is expected among the Corps' service members.
"It makes perfect sense for Marines who may not use these weapons every day to get some remedial training on the weapons," Hildebrand said.
Sgt. Sean A. Morel is an air conditioning mechanic who can disassemble an M-2 .50-caliber machine gun in less than three minutes.
Marines from Occupational Specialties across the board attend the five-day Machine Gunner's Course at Division Schools to help fulfill their primary role as riflemen first.
Every Marine's a rifleman, and any Marine could end up in a convoy, said Lance Cpl. Matt E. Cheney, 23, from Houston.
"If you don't know how to fix the weapons or maintain them, it may mean the life of you or the guys in your truck," said Cheney, a military policeman for Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group.
Besides assembly, disassembly, cleaning and firing, students in the course learn the history of machine guns in warfare. Starting from the Gatling Gun in 1862 and ending with the M-240G Machine Gun, the course covers the in-depth evolution of automatic weapons.
After the class, some of the Marines were surprised at the longevity of the U.S. Armed Forces' weapons systems.
"I think the fifty-cal is the best machine gun in the Marine Corps," said Lance Cpl. Jimmy M. Hildebrand, 22, from Lancaster, Pa. "It's diverse, powerful, and it's been used for a long, long time," concluded Hildebrand, an MP with CLR-17, 1st MLG.
Variants of the M-2 .50-caliber Machine Gun have been in use since World War II. The youngest weapon, the M- 240G medium machine gun, was not adopted by the Marine Corps until 1994.
Despite their age or history, proficiency is expected among the Corps' service members.
"It makes perfect sense for Marines who may not use these weapons every day to get some remedial training on the weapons," Hildebrand said.