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thedrifter
04-09-08, 01:21 PM
Annual Marine training course begins Friday

April 8, 2008 - 5:57PM
BY JAMES GILBERT, SUN STAFF WRITER

Marines will be using the city's streets and skies Friday as they train on how to conduct military rescues and evacuations as part of the base's biannual Weapons and Tactics Instructors (WTI) course.

Capt. Ryan Shadle said the noncombatant evacuation operations are going to be conducted simultaneously in the cities of Yuma and Brawley, Calif.

The Yuma portions of the training exercise will be from 6 to 10 p.m. at Kiwanis Park, located at 8th Street and Magnolia.

"We are practicing procedures that we would use in the real world," said Shadle, an instructor with Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1 (MAWTS-1) and the course coordinator. "As we conduct the training, our primary concern is for the safety of both the Marines conducting the exercises, as well as for the citizens of Yuma and Brawley."

In Brawley, the exercise will take place at Pat Williams Park.

WTI, which is organized by MAWTS-1, is held twice a year. The Marine students take what they learn at this course back to their units where they in turn become the teachers.

Each exercise is designed to simulate realistic urban combat situations. MAWTS-1 also conducts two Desert Talon exercises a year.

This current WTI course began March 3 and lasts for seven weeks.

As part of the Yuma operation, at 8:30 p.m. Friday, a UH-1 helicopter will simulate being shot down at Trinity Christian Center, 4309 W. 16th St. Marines will then travel there to provide ground security and assist in evacuating the Marines in the helicopter.

Shadle said the training exercise will take place over two days, with students planning the mission on Thursday.

"They will get the mission in the morning and will have 10 hours to plan out the operation for everything that is going to take place on the execution day," Shadle said.

In all, about 300 Marines will be participating in the training operation, including 75 student pilots. Also the exercises will involve 35 aircraft flying in groups of one to three. There will also be a convoy of eight Marine vehicles traveling through the city, according to Shadle

Shadle stressed that none of the aircraft involved in the exercise - which will include helicopters, jet fighters, Ospreys and a refueling aircraft - will be carrying live ordnance.

Residents are welcome to come out and watch the exercise at each location, though military officials encourage onlookers to remain a safe distance away so they don't interfere with the training

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YUMA WTI SCHEDULE
4 p.m. Friday - MAWTS-1 site commander will arrive at Kiwanis Park. Site commander will remain for entire exercise. He will link up with Yuma police, fire, crash fire rescue and military police
4:15 to 5 p.m. - VIP flights
4:30 p.m. - First and second wave of role-playing Marines will be transported to site by buses.
6 to 10 p.m. - Evacuation operations; several waves of CH-46 and CH-53 helicopters
8:30 p.m. - UH-1N lands at Trinity Christian Church for a simulated downed aircraft exercise

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James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.

Ellie