Austere environment offers Marines ideal training ground during RIMPAC exercise

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal | U.S. Marines of the 3rd Marine Regiment fire an AT-4 anti-tank weapon at a simulated adversary during a live-fire platoon supported attack as part of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise July 24, 2014, at the Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii. The scenario tested three squads and multiple detachments in clearing two objectives. Twenty-two nations, 49 ships, and six submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 26 to Aug. 1 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2014 is the 24th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal)  

POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, HAWAII, UNITED STATES

07.24.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal 

DMA Pacific - Hawaii Media Bureau   

POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, Hawaii - U.S. Marines of the 3rd Marine Regiment, conducted a live-fire platoon supported attack as part of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise at Range 10 here July 24. Three squads and detachments equipped with machine guns, anti-tank weapons and Mk 19 grenade launchers worked together to challenge the frontlines of a simulated adversary.

Clearing objectives during training isn't an uncommon scenario for Marines to tackle but the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) offered a unique opportunity for some.

"It's a pretty austere environment but that's honestly where you get your best training, in an environment where there is not a lot of comfort," said 1st Lt Taylor Paul, 3rd Marine Regiment, India Company, 2nd Platoon commander. "The terrain has been really hard on the guys and really hard on their bodies but the difficult terrain is simulating difficult terrain we might see in other places we might go."

The ranges that reside within the PTA test marines with rough land features like volcanic rock and changing weather conditions.

"Out here on the Big Island it's hot during the day and cold during the night," said Cpl. Nick Coates, 3rd Marine Regiment, 2nd Platoon team leader and rifleman. "All these lava rocks ... hope you don't fall."

Coates attributes the harsh conditions to quality training.

"It's great to train in horrible environments because you never know what your terrain is going to be," Coates said. "You might have paved roads or you might have something worse than this. That way you at least have the confidence to know that 'hey I did it at PTA.'"

The marines traversed the terrain and cleared the two objectives successfully, completing the exercise by managing maneuvers and fire with the use of proper communication as part of command and control.

"Communication is obviously the most important piece," Paul said. "If fires aren't working together then all you have is fires on target, but if fires are working together you've got coverage for your guys moving forward."

Twenty-two nations, 49 ships, and six submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 26 to Aug. 1 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2014 is the 24th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

• Date Taken: 07.24.2014
• Date Posted: 07.25.2014 21:29
• Story ID: 137388
• Location: POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, HAWAII, US