thedrifter
06-29-03, 08:12 AM
Marines assist National Guard in training
Submitted by: MCLB Barstow
Story Identification Number: 2003626124710
Story by Lance Cpl Andy Hurt
MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif.(June 26, 2003) -- Marines from MCLB Barstow and National Guard components from across the country combined training efforts recently at the National Training Center and MCLB Barstow's Yermo Annex when Marines assisted the units in the most recent Theater Opening Force Module (TOFM) exercise.
A proposition for joint training came to MCLB Barstow earlier this year when officers from NTC contacted Capt. Nowell C. McKnight, Headquarters Battalion executive officer here, and made inquiries about MCLB Barstow providing logistical support for the exercise.
"An agreement was made where, if we provided billeting, food, showers and everything, (NTC) would allow us to participate in the training," said McKnight.
Shortly before the Memorial Day weekend, Maj. Clarence T. Guthrie, III, Headquarters Battalion commanding officer, held a formation and proposed that any Marines who wished to volunteer their time for the upcoming training events would be possibly granted special liberty when the training concluded.
Marines lined up and expressed their desires to participate in the "harassment" of the soldiers.
Volunteers were briefed shortly before Memorial Day by several high-ranking Army officers, explaining the Marines' role would mostly be participation in civilian on the battlefields (COBS) training events.
COBS events involve real-world situations that deployed forces are encountering every day.
Nomads of foreign countries approaching occupying force's perimeters and protesting involvement, seeking medical attention, demanding food and water, and using guerilla tactics attempting to overrun positions are some of the exercises that Marines participated in, said McKnight.
The Army's training mission, however, was not solely to inhabit MCLB Barstow and fend off frequent unwanted visitors.
The rotation of Guardsmen working at Yermo were from the 30th Heavy Separate Brigade out of Clinton, N.C.
Units from South Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, New Mexico and West Virginia also supplemented the 30th HSB, said Brig. Gen. Dan Hickman, 30th HSB commander.
Their mission was to support the NTC's offloading and uploading of tactical equipment from MCLB Barstow's railhead.
To prepare for this rotation, the 30th HSB conducted a mission rehearsal Exercise at Fort Riley, Kansas, where the National Training Center rotation was rehearsed in detail. Personnel and units within the brigade have been to NTC as part of other rotations, said Col. Danny Bowling, director of logistics for the North Carolina Army National Guard.
Despite frequent problems from civilians on the battlefield, the mission was accomplished in the allotted two weeks time. Bulldozers, tanks and troop transport vehicles were driven off flatbed railcars in the intense high desert sun. Heat casualties were problematic for some soldiers, but Army personnel on site provided medical support.
Guard units were a little rough at first in dealing with civilian aggression, but after two or three similar exercises they showed vast improvement, said Lance Cpl. Anthony M. Spart, a communications center operator for the Communications Division.
The real fun for Marine volunteers came from taking frequent trips to the NTC, applying camouflage paint and wielding rubber M-16A1 rifles, performing late night reconnaissance missions, taking prisoners as well as "killing" a few soldiers.
"That was awesome," said Maj. Guthrie after the first of three recon missions.
Reports came in that the Marines had taken anywhere from 40 to 100 plus soldiers prisoner, and then "stood by" as the Guardsmen were given an evaluation based on the performance of their "Quick Reaction Force."
"In a combat situation, the Army usually takes over all logistical support," said Capt. McKnight, " and soldiers need to know how to do this."
The training for Marines was just as important.
"The Marines are doing a tremendous job. There's a very good chance that one day they could see this same kind of situation," McKnight added.
"I thought it would be a good opportunity to train with Marines and the Army at the same time," said Spart, who participated in two of three recon missions.
"(Marines) learned a lot of stuff that we don't really think about here. Patrolling, noise discipline and just getting dirty," quipped Spart.
After a few missions the reaction force of the Guard units improved, he added.
"I gained a lot of respect for some of those guys. They improvised without weapons and set up an ambush for (Lance Cpl. Peter Vegliante), and it worked. They even captured Major Guthrie."
Spart said that his favorite part of the exercises was "sneaking around the Army perimeter without them knowing. I'd do it again in a minute."
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2003626125443/$file/TOFM1low.jpg
Staff Sgt. Christian Galbraith, Headquarters Battalion S-3 chief, gets up close snd personal to a member of the 30th Heavy Separate Brigade, wrestling the weapon away while protesting the American ocupation of his native land Colusa, an imaginary country.
Photo by: Lance Cpl. Andy Hurt
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
Submitted by: MCLB Barstow
Story Identification Number: 2003626124710
Story by Lance Cpl Andy Hurt
MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif.(June 26, 2003) -- Marines from MCLB Barstow and National Guard components from across the country combined training efforts recently at the National Training Center and MCLB Barstow's Yermo Annex when Marines assisted the units in the most recent Theater Opening Force Module (TOFM) exercise.
A proposition for joint training came to MCLB Barstow earlier this year when officers from NTC contacted Capt. Nowell C. McKnight, Headquarters Battalion executive officer here, and made inquiries about MCLB Barstow providing logistical support for the exercise.
"An agreement was made where, if we provided billeting, food, showers and everything, (NTC) would allow us to participate in the training," said McKnight.
Shortly before the Memorial Day weekend, Maj. Clarence T. Guthrie, III, Headquarters Battalion commanding officer, held a formation and proposed that any Marines who wished to volunteer their time for the upcoming training events would be possibly granted special liberty when the training concluded.
Marines lined up and expressed their desires to participate in the "harassment" of the soldiers.
Volunteers were briefed shortly before Memorial Day by several high-ranking Army officers, explaining the Marines' role would mostly be participation in civilian on the battlefields (COBS) training events.
COBS events involve real-world situations that deployed forces are encountering every day.
Nomads of foreign countries approaching occupying force's perimeters and protesting involvement, seeking medical attention, demanding food and water, and using guerilla tactics attempting to overrun positions are some of the exercises that Marines participated in, said McKnight.
The Army's training mission, however, was not solely to inhabit MCLB Barstow and fend off frequent unwanted visitors.
The rotation of Guardsmen working at Yermo were from the 30th Heavy Separate Brigade out of Clinton, N.C.
Units from South Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, New Mexico and West Virginia also supplemented the 30th HSB, said Brig. Gen. Dan Hickman, 30th HSB commander.
Their mission was to support the NTC's offloading and uploading of tactical equipment from MCLB Barstow's railhead.
To prepare for this rotation, the 30th HSB conducted a mission rehearsal Exercise at Fort Riley, Kansas, where the National Training Center rotation was rehearsed in detail. Personnel and units within the brigade have been to NTC as part of other rotations, said Col. Danny Bowling, director of logistics for the North Carolina Army National Guard.
Despite frequent problems from civilians on the battlefield, the mission was accomplished in the allotted two weeks time. Bulldozers, tanks and troop transport vehicles were driven off flatbed railcars in the intense high desert sun. Heat casualties were problematic for some soldiers, but Army personnel on site provided medical support.
Guard units were a little rough at first in dealing with civilian aggression, but after two or three similar exercises they showed vast improvement, said Lance Cpl. Anthony M. Spart, a communications center operator for the Communications Division.
The real fun for Marine volunteers came from taking frequent trips to the NTC, applying camouflage paint and wielding rubber M-16A1 rifles, performing late night reconnaissance missions, taking prisoners as well as "killing" a few soldiers.
"That was awesome," said Maj. Guthrie after the first of three recon missions.
Reports came in that the Marines had taken anywhere from 40 to 100 plus soldiers prisoner, and then "stood by" as the Guardsmen were given an evaluation based on the performance of their "Quick Reaction Force."
"In a combat situation, the Army usually takes over all logistical support," said Capt. McKnight, " and soldiers need to know how to do this."
The training for Marines was just as important.
"The Marines are doing a tremendous job. There's a very good chance that one day they could see this same kind of situation," McKnight added.
"I thought it would be a good opportunity to train with Marines and the Army at the same time," said Spart, who participated in two of three recon missions.
"(Marines) learned a lot of stuff that we don't really think about here. Patrolling, noise discipline and just getting dirty," quipped Spart.
After a few missions the reaction force of the Guard units improved, he added.
"I gained a lot of respect for some of those guys. They improvised without weapons and set up an ambush for (Lance Cpl. Peter Vegliante), and it worked. They even captured Major Guthrie."
Spart said that his favorite part of the exercises was "sneaking around the Army perimeter without them knowing. I'd do it again in a minute."
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2003626125443/$file/TOFM1low.jpg
Staff Sgt. Christian Galbraith, Headquarters Battalion S-3 chief, gets up close snd personal to a member of the 30th Heavy Separate Brigade, wrestling the weapon away while protesting the American ocupation of his native land Colusa, an imaginary country.
Photo by: Lance Cpl. Andy Hurt
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: