thedrifter
08-07-08, 05:56 AM
Marines Hit the Road to Learn How to Survive Vehicle Ambushes
By Philip Jones
Reporter
Published: August 6, 2008
Inside a vehicle—that’s one of the most dangerous places for our servicemen and women to be, no matter where they’re fighting.
Enemies and insurgents often turn convoys in to targets. That’s why Marine Corps reservists from other parts of the country hit the road and spent time in Onslow County this week.
As Nine On Your Side’s Philip Jones shows us, they learned potentially life-saving tactics that can benefit military members everywhere.
They may have been forced to use their imaginations and some dummy weapons, but the tactics some Marine reservists are learning have some very real implications.
“[Marines] don’t get to pull the trigger every day,” said Craig Miller, president of Poseidon Operations. “They don’t get to interrogate or interview somebody everyday. But they have to drive every day. They have to utilize these convoy operation procedures every day, everywhere they go.”
Miller, and instructors from his private training company Poseidon Operations, spent this week training these Marines some slick moves behind the wheel—and how they can survive the increasing number of attacks that happen while military members are on the road overseas.
“Being out there, just simply driving from one point to another, you might get hit with an IED or a small ambush with small arm fire,” said reservist Sgt. Clifford Perry. “So these techniques we’re learning right now will help us be able to survive those ambushes and get out of vehicles and survive.”
Perry should know—he’s been to Iraq before. But he says he’s also looking forward to putting the training to use here at home, because he says more service members die in crashes than in combat.
“At a high rate of speed, a crash comes really fast,” he said. “So you need to be able to react fast.”
Not all Marines get this specialized high-threat training, but officials at Wednesday’s exercise say they hope to begin offering it to more Marines here in the east.
Ellie
By Philip Jones
Reporter
Published: August 6, 2008
Inside a vehicle—that’s one of the most dangerous places for our servicemen and women to be, no matter where they’re fighting.
Enemies and insurgents often turn convoys in to targets. That’s why Marine Corps reservists from other parts of the country hit the road and spent time in Onslow County this week.
As Nine On Your Side’s Philip Jones shows us, they learned potentially life-saving tactics that can benefit military members everywhere.
They may have been forced to use their imaginations and some dummy weapons, but the tactics some Marine reservists are learning have some very real implications.
“[Marines] don’t get to pull the trigger every day,” said Craig Miller, president of Poseidon Operations. “They don’t get to interrogate or interview somebody everyday. But they have to drive every day. They have to utilize these convoy operation procedures every day, everywhere they go.”
Miller, and instructors from his private training company Poseidon Operations, spent this week training these Marines some slick moves behind the wheel—and how they can survive the increasing number of attacks that happen while military members are on the road overseas.
“Being out there, just simply driving from one point to another, you might get hit with an IED or a small ambush with small arm fire,” said reservist Sgt. Clifford Perry. “So these techniques we’re learning right now will help us be able to survive those ambushes and get out of vehicles and survive.”
Perry should know—he’s been to Iraq before. But he says he’s also looking forward to putting the training to use here at home, because he says more service members die in crashes than in combat.
“At a high rate of speed, a crash comes really fast,” he said. “So you need to be able to react fast.”
Not all Marines get this specialized high-threat training, but officials at Wednesday’s exercise say they hope to begin offering it to more Marines here in the east.
Ellie