Photo By Sgt. Benjamin Crilly | Cpl. Tristan R. Langston, a squad leader for 3rd Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. – “Go! Go! Go!” resounded, as boots slammed down the ramp of the amphibious assault vehicles.
Marines and sailors with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, participating in a clear/hold/build exercise during Enhanced Mojave Viper conducted the Clear phase at Range 220, Jan 25.
The training evaluated the Marines’ dismounted movements in an urban environment during the 21-day training exercise.
The exercise began with the Marines piling into the AAVs, which transported them to the edge of the Range 220 Military Operations in Urban Terrain town. From there, Marines provided suppressive fire, allowing them to enter and gain a foothold in the town.
The Marines sprinted from the berm, two at a time, to begin clearing operations throughout the town. The squads maneuvered through the buildings, eliminating the enemy role players and securing objectives.
“This training gets us ready for deployment and gets us as close to reality as we can get by getting off the tracks, clearing the rooms and setting everything up,” said Lance Cpl. Sean M. O’Conner, a squad automatic weapon gunner for Alpha Co., 1/5. “It gets the Marine used to the whole mindset and aggressiveness you need to be affective on deployment.”
Elements of 1st Tank Battalion and 2nd Amphibious Assault Battalion provide suppressive fires for the Marines sweeping the open areas within the town for improvised explosive devices.
“The MOUT town lane is not something that will necessarily happen, since in Afghanistan it’s mostly counterinsurgency operations. However, if we have to do a push then we have to be prepared for that,” said Staff Sgt. Rick J. Meyers, platoon sergeant for 3rd Plt., Alpha Co., 1/5. “We have to hit everything and make sure Marines are ready and have that training they could need.”
Every exercise in EMV is a stepping stone. The clear lane allows the squads to become proficient within their small-unit leadership and at fundamental maneuver exercises before moving on to platoon attacks.
On the individual level the training allowed Marines to practice the tactics techniques and procedures they will use in Afghanistan.
“Today’s exercise taught me how to operate in a MOUT environment with an IED threat, and reinforced the basic infantry principles I will use throughout EMV and on deployment,” said O’Conner, 21, from Douglas, Wyo.
Upon securing the town, the Marines of 3rd Platoon transitioned to their final exercise, the Range 220 “kill house.”
The Marines patrolled to a house that had been notionally hit by indirect fire. Reacting to the attack, Marines posted security as their aid and liter team entered the building to begin treating the role-player casualties.
Real amputees with prosthetic simulating combat injuries served as role players for the kill house. The Marines and sailors are forced to work under pressure from the corpsmen running the house and the role players’ intensity.
“The kill house is as accurate as they could get it, and they had some very good actors here,” said Meyers, 27, from Riverbank, Calif. “It’s designed to put Marines in that situation and conditions them if one of their buddies goes down.”
Alpha Company will use these experiences and lessons learned from Range 220 to enable them to effectively complete EMV in preparation for an upcoming Afghanistan deployment.
Having this MOUT training will enable the Marines of 1/5 to be effective in combat and counterinsurgency operations the next time they hear the resounding command – “Go! Go! Go!”
| Date Taken: | 02.10.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 02.10.2011 17:48 |
| Story ID: | 65195 |
| Location: | CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 388 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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