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CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan— Marines with 1st Marine Division (Forward) Afghan National Security Force cell organized a convoy training course, Oct. 8, at Camp Leatherneck.
The 1st Marine Logistic Group (Forward) Corporals Course graduates, Oct. 10, but before they could finish the course, they had to complete a convoy training course through Camp Leatherneck, put together by the 1st MarDiv (Fwd) ANSF Marines.
“The convoy operation was to get them thinking to be able to make decisions under stress,” said Sgt. Victor Rodriguez, who works in the ANSF cell, 1st MarDiv (Fwd), and was a role player during the convoy exercise. “We put them through initial action drills for foot patrols and convoys so they would be ready for the convoy operations.”
The instructors came up with different scenarios, including simulated enemy attacks with improvised explosive devices, rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. The students had to overcome these threats while traveling throughout the camp.
Before the squads could load up in the trucks their squad leader gave a convoy brief that included possible enemy threats and made sure all his Marines had the gear and knowledge to handle any situation that might arise.
The three squads embarked on a reconnaissance convoy to check the route’s security and to gather information before conducting their mission. They identified possible landing zones for medical evacuation and potential enemy ambush sites. This was also a chance for the instructors to see how well the Marines communicated between vehicles as they worked together.
“After the first convoy I talked to them about how they needed to communicate better and learn how to make decisions,” said Staff Sgt. John Juarez, the Afghan National Army chief for the ANSF cell, 1st MarDiv. (Fwd).
All the Marines corresponded better during the second convoy when they ran into the small-arms fire and IEDs, said Juarez, 30, from El Paso, Texas.
The Marines on the convoy suffered a mock casualty during their convoy and had to move out of the kill zone to set up security for a medical evacuation. They also ran into hostile locals, who were disturbed with the Marine presence in the community.
Rodriguez played a local, who was upset with the Marines being in his village. This was just one of the different obstacles the instructors came up with to make them work together and overcome adversities.
The Marines were a little confused at first, but when they calmed down and took control of the situation, they did well in handling the different conditions the instructors came up with during the convoy training mission, said Rodriguez, 30, from Monterey Park, Calif.
“The Marines learned about reporting procedures and used what we taught them,” Juarez added. “They were out there taking charge and quickly making decisions.”
The convoy training course explains a lot about what kind of things they will experience during their deployment in Afghanistan. The ability to make these quick decisions could one day save the lives of their fellow Marines.
Juarez’s main point he wanted to make clear is that they need to learn this material, and they must take all training missions seriously. The students in the course are going to be going on real convoys all over Afghanistan soon, and might have to use the information they learned in this course to maneuver their Marines to safety if they encounter an IED or RPG attack.
“They need to work on finding themselves and what leadership techniques work for them,” said Juarez. “They need to find what will make them gain the self confidence that they will need in the Marine Corps.”
| Date Taken: | 10.08.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 10.09.2010 14:02 |
| Story ID: | 57822 |
| Location: | CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF |
| Web Views: | 359 |
| Downloads: | 4 |
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