thedrifter
01-13-09, 06:09 AM
FORT PICKETT, Va. —A squad of Marines carefully patrols through the eerily quiet streets of an Arab village. The still air hangs thick with dust and anticipation. A sudden explosion sends people screaming into the street.
Professional civilian role-players and special-effects pyrotechnics added a dose of realism when Marines with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, conducted Military Operations in Urban Terrain and urban assault training Sunday aboard Fort Pickett, Va., a Virginia Army National Guard Maneuver Training Center.
The Camp Lejeune, N.C. based 22nd MEU is training aboard Fort Pickett and in surrounding communities as part of their Realistic Urban Training.
MOUT town is a collection of mock-up buildings in a training area aboard the base, complete with a central market and civilian vehicles.
"This is where you make your mistakes," said Brian Walsh, the mission manager for the role-players acting as Iraqi civilians and insurgents. "You make your mistakes, learn from them, correct them, and you're better for it down the road."
Squads of Marines patrol through the streets observing their surroundings and watching for trouble.
"This was the first time some of our Marines went through town, got to meet Iraqis and eat Iraqi chow," said Sgt. Robert D. Carver, a vehicle commander and assistant section leader of the company's Combined Anti-Armor Team. "This is as close as they can get to combat unless they're deployed.
Should trouble strike from one of the buildings, Marines enter and clear them as if it were a combat environment.
During the training, Marines experienced both sides of being in a hostile environment. In some scenarios, role-players acting as local Iraqis were friendly and provided information to help lead Marines to the bad guys. Marines sat down and spoke with the men and women.
At other times, role-players threw unexpected violence at the squads patrolling through the false city.
Depending on how Marines handle a situation or scenario, the mission could end up good or bad, said Walsh, a native of Lakewood, Wash.
"The main purpose of this training as a group is to get the Marines the experience they need," said Carver, a native of Wilmington, N.C. "Some of them were nervous for the first time, and they didn't know what to expect."
While Marines were clearing rooms through MOUT and dealing with insurgents and local Iraqis, a few hundred feet down the road more Marines were conducting live-fire training on the base's Urban Assault Course.
In the UAC, Marines kick down doors, rush in and shoot targets with live ammunition.
"The correlation between the urban assault course and MOUT training is communication, movement and clear standard operating procedures between teams and individual Marines," said 2nd Lt. John M. Hambley, the scout sniper platoon commander.
The live-fire training falls back on the basic skills infantry Marines have learned throughout their early training in the Marine Corps, said Hambley, a native of Portland, Maine. Before using the live rounds, they did a dry run with no ammunition.
"It's beneficial to train Marines off-site rather than at Camp Lejeune," said Hambley. "When we get to a site like Fort Pickett, there's new training, new exercises, new MOUT facilities."
The 22nd MEU is a scalable, multipurpose force of more than 2,200 Marines and sailors. Commanded by Col. Gareth F. Brandl, it consists of its Ground Combat Element, BLT 3/2; Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; and its Command Element.
The 22nd MEU is currently conducting pre-deployment training and is scheduled to deploy this spring. For more information about the 22nd MEU, visit the unit's website at www.22meu.usmc.mil.
Professional civilian role-players and special-effects pyrotechnics added a dose of realism when Marines with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, conducted Military Operations in Urban Terrain and urban assault training Sunday aboard Fort Pickett, Va., a Virginia Army National Guard Maneuver Training Center.
The Camp Lejeune, N.C. based 22nd MEU is training aboard Fort Pickett and in surrounding communities as part of their Realistic Urban Training.
MOUT town is a collection of mock-up buildings in a training area aboard the base, complete with a central market and civilian vehicles.
"This is where you make your mistakes," said Brian Walsh, the mission manager for the role-players acting as Iraqi civilians and insurgents. "You make your mistakes, learn from them, correct them, and you're better for it down the road."
Squads of Marines patrol through the streets observing their surroundings and watching for trouble.
"This was the first time some of our Marines went through town, got to meet Iraqis and eat Iraqi chow," said Sgt. Robert D. Carver, a vehicle commander and assistant section leader of the company's Combined Anti-Armor Team. "This is as close as they can get to combat unless they're deployed.
Should trouble strike from one of the buildings, Marines enter and clear them as if it were a combat environment.
During the training, Marines experienced both sides of being in a hostile environment. In some scenarios, role-players acting as local Iraqis were friendly and provided information to help lead Marines to the bad guys. Marines sat down and spoke with the men and women.
At other times, role-players threw unexpected violence at the squads patrolling through the false city.
Depending on how Marines handle a situation or scenario, the mission could end up good or bad, said Walsh, a native of Lakewood, Wash.
"The main purpose of this training as a group is to get the Marines the experience they need," said Carver, a native of Wilmington, N.C. "Some of them were nervous for the first time, and they didn't know what to expect."
While Marines were clearing rooms through MOUT and dealing with insurgents and local Iraqis, a few hundred feet down the road more Marines were conducting live-fire training on the base's Urban Assault Course.
In the UAC, Marines kick down doors, rush in and shoot targets with live ammunition.
"The correlation between the urban assault course and MOUT training is communication, movement and clear standard operating procedures between teams and individual Marines," said 2nd Lt. John M. Hambley, the scout sniper platoon commander.
The live-fire training falls back on the basic skills infantry Marines have learned throughout their early training in the Marine Corps, said Hambley, a native of Portland, Maine. Before using the live rounds, they did a dry run with no ammunition.
"It's beneficial to train Marines off-site rather than at Camp Lejeune," said Hambley. "When we get to a site like Fort Pickett, there's new training, new exercises, new MOUT facilities."
The 22nd MEU is a scalable, multipurpose force of more than 2,200 Marines and sailors. Commanded by Col. Gareth F. Brandl, it consists of its Ground Combat Element, BLT 3/2; Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; and its Command Element.
The 22nd MEU is currently conducting pre-deployment training and is scheduled to deploy this spring. For more information about the 22nd MEU, visit the unit's website at www.22meu.usmc.mil.