thedrifter
02-13-09, 08:36 AM
Urban Legend
12th Marine Regiment raids Fuji MOUT town
Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Cordero
CAMP FUJI, Japan (February 13, 2009) -- On a cold, rainy afternoon, Marines and sailors were tasked with clearing houses during a combat operation. Insurgent activity was reported high, and enemy contact was imminent.
This was the training scenario Marines and sailors with 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, were tasked with during Military Operations on Urban Terrain training Jan. 30 at the MOUT complex at the Combined Arms Training Center, Camp Fuji, Japan.
"With today's combat environments, it is increasing more and more that Marines are going to find themselves in urban terrain, so the training helps Marines become well rounded," said Staff Sgt. Derrick Hammond, the regimental training chief for 12th Marines.
The Marines and sailors cleared houses, using blank rounds to face off against mock insurgents. If a participant was "shot," he was considered "dead" and could no longer participate with his team.
"It was definitely realistic," said Lance Cpl. Roddie A. Plaisance, a fire direction controlman with the regiment's operations platoon. "Even though they were blanks, it helped us understand how a real scenario would play."
While moving around the town, the Marines established security and breach teams while maintaining communication between each other.
"It's vital they use good communication skills," Hammond said. "They are firing their weapons two-to-five inches away from each other. They have to know their sectors of fire. They have to know where their teammates are at all times, because you obviously don't want to shoot a team member, and you must understand target discrimination. Communication is something that will either cause you to make a fatal mistake as a team or will cause you to be a success."
Marines with 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines, acted as insurgents during the training. Some of the Marines felt playing the opposing force helped them understand the importance of the training.
"Being on the opposing side helps us see where the mistakes are made when conducting (MOUT) training," said Pfc. Peter Caravello, a warehouse clerk with 3rd Bn., 12th Marines.
During the training, instructors used the facility's camera system to observe the Marines. After completing a scenario, the Marines were critiqued on their performances.
"They need to know the proper way to do it," Hammond said. "Through repetition of clearing the same room, they would get better and better."
Hammond stressed he also aimed at developing certain fundamental skills necessary for a successful building or room entry.
"Marines should be absolutely focused when they enter to clear a house, because they have a split second to decide whether to fire on a target or react to booby traps, or any kind of situation that would put them in harms way," Hammond said.
Many of the Marines in the unit do not regularly participate in urban training. The exercise provided these Marines the opportunity to move away from their primary job field and focus on combat effectiveness.
"In boot camp, they are given the very basics," said Hammond. "Unless they belong to an infantry unit that does this constantly, Marines rarely have the opportunity to practice (MOUT)."
Hammond was pleased with the results of the training, and said the Marines' movements showed a good grasp of urban combat tactics.
"Toward the end, when they would come up toward a building, you could see a totally different reaction of how they would start stacking up and breaching the buildings," he said. "There was definitely great improvement."
Ellie
12th Marine Regiment raids Fuji MOUT town
Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Cordero
CAMP FUJI, Japan (February 13, 2009) -- On a cold, rainy afternoon, Marines and sailors were tasked with clearing houses during a combat operation. Insurgent activity was reported high, and enemy contact was imminent.
This was the training scenario Marines and sailors with 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, were tasked with during Military Operations on Urban Terrain training Jan. 30 at the MOUT complex at the Combined Arms Training Center, Camp Fuji, Japan.
"With today's combat environments, it is increasing more and more that Marines are going to find themselves in urban terrain, so the training helps Marines become well rounded," said Staff Sgt. Derrick Hammond, the regimental training chief for 12th Marines.
The Marines and sailors cleared houses, using blank rounds to face off against mock insurgents. If a participant was "shot," he was considered "dead" and could no longer participate with his team.
"It was definitely realistic," said Lance Cpl. Roddie A. Plaisance, a fire direction controlman with the regiment's operations platoon. "Even though they were blanks, it helped us understand how a real scenario would play."
While moving around the town, the Marines established security and breach teams while maintaining communication between each other.
"It's vital they use good communication skills," Hammond said. "They are firing their weapons two-to-five inches away from each other. They have to know their sectors of fire. They have to know where their teammates are at all times, because you obviously don't want to shoot a team member, and you must understand target discrimination. Communication is something that will either cause you to make a fatal mistake as a team or will cause you to be a success."
Marines with 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines, acted as insurgents during the training. Some of the Marines felt playing the opposing force helped them understand the importance of the training.
"Being on the opposing side helps us see where the mistakes are made when conducting (MOUT) training," said Pfc. Peter Caravello, a warehouse clerk with 3rd Bn., 12th Marines.
During the training, instructors used the facility's camera system to observe the Marines. After completing a scenario, the Marines were critiqued on their performances.
"They need to know the proper way to do it," Hammond said. "Through repetition of clearing the same room, they would get better and better."
Hammond stressed he also aimed at developing certain fundamental skills necessary for a successful building or room entry.
"Marines should be absolutely focused when they enter to clear a house, because they have a split second to decide whether to fire on a target or react to booby traps, or any kind of situation that would put them in harms way," Hammond said.
Many of the Marines in the unit do not regularly participate in urban training. The exercise provided these Marines the opportunity to move away from their primary job field and focus on combat effectiveness.
"In boot camp, they are given the very basics," said Hammond. "Unless they belong to an infantry unit that does this constantly, Marines rarely have the opportunity to practice (MOUT)."
Hammond was pleased with the results of the training, and said the Marines' movements showed a good grasp of urban combat tactics.
"Toward the end, when they would come up toward a building, you could see a totally different reaction of how they would start stacking up and breaching the buildings," he said. "There was definitely great improvement."
Ellie