thedrifter
07-23-08, 06:38 AM
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (July 22, 2008) — The art of warfare is always changing in the ways they are planned for, fought, and won. Looking back through centuries of battles fought from the American Revolutionary War to the current Global War on Terrorism, planning, tactics and execution have continuously evolved into what they are today.
Compare the current battles being fought on the sands of Iraq and through the hills of Afghanistan, to the past conflicts that were World War I and II. None of these battles were ever the same, as conflicts consisted of organized militaries fighting organized militaries. The idea of combat engagement was simple: if you saw someone wearing an enemy uniform, shoot them.
Things are vastly different now because military forces face combatants who are far from organized and uniform. Today’s insurgents don’t believe in the set tactics and procedures that were used so many years ago, or that of any organized military in the world.
Even though combat is always changing, so is the training used to prepare for it, as evident by the 2nd Marine Logistics Group’s Battle Skills Training School. The school has existed since the 1980s when combat was still oriented to the organized military, but nearly 30 years later, the school continues to adapt to new tactics of warfare.
“The War on Terrorism can’t be fought the way we fought in Vietnam and World War II,” said Staff Sgt. Charles Calfee, a primary instructor at BSTS. “What we deal with now is far more difficult. You can’t tell who the enemy is unless they have a weapon and are shooting at you.”
Calfee, who is an infantryman by trade, said that in past wars, military lines would push forward, see the enemy and attack. He said fighting insurgents in today’s battles is much different.
“Marines will interact with a number of locals, talk to them face to face, and even shake a hand or two,” Calfee said. “Later that evening or the next day though, that may be the same person who is trying to kill them for any number of reasons.”
Calfee said current battles in Iraq and Afghanistan show that Marines must continue to adapt to changing combat environments, which is why BSTS is undergoing change. He said the only thing that remains the same at BSTS is its name.
There is a completely different training package at BSTS now, Calfee said. The tactics are different, the fundamental skills have changed, and even the details of the basics are different.
In the past, BSTS has focused its training regimen to the basic combat skills like operating weapon systems and patrolling urban areas as prescribed in the combined pre-deployment training package provided by the 2nd Marine Division. But he said the school will soon offer even more for Marines and sailors.
The school is adding a convoy leadership course, a scheduled Marine Corps Martial Arts Program training package and a noncommissioned officer leadership course, Calfee said. These training packages give Marines a different touch of leadership that adds to what they already have.
Staff Sgt. Robert Smith, the chief instructor at the school, said changes like these must be made to training programs in order for Marines to continue to be successful on the battlefield. He said what goes on in a combat zone determines how Marines train at home.
“You have to keep up with what’s going on in a deployed area, as what’s happening there can change everything,” Smith said. “Rules of engagement, operating procedures, they are ever-evolving. Because of this, what we teach today may change tomorrow.”
Many of the school’s instructors feel the Convoy Leadership Course has the most to offer to Marines in the logistics group, as convoys are the primary mode of supply transportation. Sgt. Joshua Faidley, an instructor at the school, said the course focuses on the planning stages of a convoy operation that happen before the trucks ever leave the wire.
He added that the course places the students, who are sergeants and above, as convoy commanders. By doing this, the students are placed in a position where their decisions have an effect on the entire group. He noted that if a convoy operation has poor planning, everyone’s life is put in danger as well as the supplies in tow.
“Convoys are the number one means of travel,” Faidley said. “If Marines don’t have a set plan before they leave friendly lines and something goes wrong, everyone’s in trouble.”
Calfee said the MCMAP training and NCO leadership course compound on the values set forth in the Convoy Leadership Course. He said these courses focus on the combat mindset, which is the concept of knowing how to deal with situations that pop up while in combat situations.
“Combat is all about fight or flight,” Calfee believes. “We fight or we turn and run, these are the options. We as Marines have to train ourselves to ignore that response, as so often we have to run toward the machine gun fire instead of running away from it.”
Calfee said the MCMAP training course will offer belt instructor courses for all belts green and up, as well as 5-day belt advancement course for belts up to green. He said that the school will be able to conduct belt advancement courses higher than green upon request.
As for the NCO Leadership Course, he said it’s not the usual Corporals’ Leadership Course. He said this course, unlike the Corporals’ Course, will focus almost entirely on combat leadership.
“The (NCO Leadership Course) covers proper knowledge that will place NCOs in the right orientation for combat and going overseas,” Calfee said.
These new courses only add to the value of the MLG’s combat school, Calfee said. He explained the school’s importance best by saying that infantry Marines aren’t the ones who are running convoy operations, it’s the logistics Marines. It’s the lance corporal from supply who will be on the 50-caliber Browning machine gun protecting the convoy and its Marines.
Calfee said BSTS will continue to adapt to new training requirements as warfare continues to change. The entire BSTS staff has a minimum of 3 years in an infantry unit, and with that experience, they will continue to prepare logistics Marines for combat.
Ellie
Compare the current battles being fought on the sands of Iraq and through the hills of Afghanistan, to the past conflicts that were World War I and II. None of these battles were ever the same, as conflicts consisted of organized militaries fighting organized militaries. The idea of combat engagement was simple: if you saw someone wearing an enemy uniform, shoot them.
Things are vastly different now because military forces face combatants who are far from organized and uniform. Today’s insurgents don’t believe in the set tactics and procedures that were used so many years ago, or that of any organized military in the world.
Even though combat is always changing, so is the training used to prepare for it, as evident by the 2nd Marine Logistics Group’s Battle Skills Training School. The school has existed since the 1980s when combat was still oriented to the organized military, but nearly 30 years later, the school continues to adapt to new tactics of warfare.
“The War on Terrorism can’t be fought the way we fought in Vietnam and World War II,” said Staff Sgt. Charles Calfee, a primary instructor at BSTS. “What we deal with now is far more difficult. You can’t tell who the enemy is unless they have a weapon and are shooting at you.”
Calfee, who is an infantryman by trade, said that in past wars, military lines would push forward, see the enemy and attack. He said fighting insurgents in today’s battles is much different.
“Marines will interact with a number of locals, talk to them face to face, and even shake a hand or two,” Calfee said. “Later that evening or the next day though, that may be the same person who is trying to kill them for any number of reasons.”
Calfee said current battles in Iraq and Afghanistan show that Marines must continue to adapt to changing combat environments, which is why BSTS is undergoing change. He said the only thing that remains the same at BSTS is its name.
There is a completely different training package at BSTS now, Calfee said. The tactics are different, the fundamental skills have changed, and even the details of the basics are different.
In the past, BSTS has focused its training regimen to the basic combat skills like operating weapon systems and patrolling urban areas as prescribed in the combined pre-deployment training package provided by the 2nd Marine Division. But he said the school will soon offer even more for Marines and sailors.
The school is adding a convoy leadership course, a scheduled Marine Corps Martial Arts Program training package and a noncommissioned officer leadership course, Calfee said. These training packages give Marines a different touch of leadership that adds to what they already have.
Staff Sgt. Robert Smith, the chief instructor at the school, said changes like these must be made to training programs in order for Marines to continue to be successful on the battlefield. He said what goes on in a combat zone determines how Marines train at home.
“You have to keep up with what’s going on in a deployed area, as what’s happening there can change everything,” Smith said. “Rules of engagement, operating procedures, they are ever-evolving. Because of this, what we teach today may change tomorrow.”
Many of the school’s instructors feel the Convoy Leadership Course has the most to offer to Marines in the logistics group, as convoys are the primary mode of supply transportation. Sgt. Joshua Faidley, an instructor at the school, said the course focuses on the planning stages of a convoy operation that happen before the trucks ever leave the wire.
He added that the course places the students, who are sergeants and above, as convoy commanders. By doing this, the students are placed in a position where their decisions have an effect on the entire group. He noted that if a convoy operation has poor planning, everyone’s life is put in danger as well as the supplies in tow.
“Convoys are the number one means of travel,” Faidley said. “If Marines don’t have a set plan before they leave friendly lines and something goes wrong, everyone’s in trouble.”
Calfee said the MCMAP training and NCO leadership course compound on the values set forth in the Convoy Leadership Course. He said these courses focus on the combat mindset, which is the concept of knowing how to deal with situations that pop up while in combat situations.
“Combat is all about fight or flight,” Calfee believes. “We fight or we turn and run, these are the options. We as Marines have to train ourselves to ignore that response, as so often we have to run toward the machine gun fire instead of running away from it.”
Calfee said the MCMAP training course will offer belt instructor courses for all belts green and up, as well as 5-day belt advancement course for belts up to green. He said that the school will be able to conduct belt advancement courses higher than green upon request.
As for the NCO Leadership Course, he said it’s not the usual Corporals’ Leadership Course. He said this course, unlike the Corporals’ Course, will focus almost entirely on combat leadership.
“The (NCO Leadership Course) covers proper knowledge that will place NCOs in the right orientation for combat and going overseas,” Calfee said.
These new courses only add to the value of the MLG’s combat school, Calfee said. He explained the school’s importance best by saying that infantry Marines aren’t the ones who are running convoy operations, it’s the logistics Marines. It’s the lance corporal from supply who will be on the 50-caliber Browning machine gun protecting the convoy and its Marines.
Calfee said BSTS will continue to adapt to new training requirements as warfare continues to change. The entire BSTS staff has a minimum of 3 years in an infantry unit, and with that experience, they will continue to prepare logistics Marines for combat.
Ellie