Photo By Lance Cpl. Jerrick J. Griffin | Marines with 7th Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, receive instruction...... read more read more
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Marines with 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group attended a five-day Combat Hunters Course here, Nov. 15-19.
The Combat Hunter Course teaches Marines how to observe, profile and locate dangerous targets. The observation and tracking skills are those similar to the skills used in hunting animals. These same skills can help Marines identify a threat and reduce risk. The goal is to make sure Marines are proactive instead of reactive on the battlefield. When a Marine is proactive they are looking to prevent things from happening instead of being reactive, such as waiting for danger to occur.
“We break down the course into three separate parts because each one has a significant value in becoming a successful hunter,” said Michael Blackwelder, the instructor of the combat hunter course. “The methods are used by hunters as well as police officers,” said Blackwelder, 26, from Carlsbad, Calif.
Some of the details they learned in the class were that certain colors and items on clothing can symbolize something important, such as religion, sacrifice and struggle. They also learned that by observing how locals act and respond to the presence of Marines can lead to valuable intelligence information the military can use against the enemy.
“The way people walk and act gives hints that something is wrong,” says Pfc. Sean Washington, a combat engineer with 7th ESB, 1st MLG. “The training provides good information so you can tell who is a threat before they can cause damage.”
Graduates of the course were trained to notice small details and use strange behavior of locals or things out of place to track an insurgent.
According to Blackwelder, the concept of the Combat Hunter Course was thought of by Gen. James Mattis, the commander of the U.S. Joint Forces Command in 2007, when he saw the need for Marines to have the mindset of predators instead of prey.
"I want to have a different mindset and outlook on the enemy," said Lance Cpl. Brandon Porford, a combat engineer with 7th ESB, 1st MLG. "I want to be able to determine the enemy from the innocent civilians," said Porford, 21 from New York.
The Combat Hunters Course is available to any Marine interested in attending. Marines interested in participating in the course are instructed to contact their units training section.
| Date Taken: | 11.18.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.18.2010 19:13 |
| Story ID: | 60436 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 9 |
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