Photo By Sgt. Jamean Berry | U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Douglass Jorgensen climbs a building during urban-climber...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- To be ready for any scenario, Marines with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment improved their versatility by training in urban-climbing skills aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 2, 2014.
The urban-climbers course, designed and run by Special Operations Training Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, has high standards for the Marines attending the course.
“This training has probably been the most challenging that I’ve had. During the beginning stages in our test qualifications a lot of people didn’t make it through,” said Lance Cpl. Dominique Sparacino, an infantry rifleman with 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3/1. “The demands with SOTG are pretty high but its good training because you are held to a standard.”
The training took climbing skills the students learned during mountain warfare training in Bridgeport, Calif., last month and applies them to an urban environment.
“We want to give these guys the ability to whether they are going aboard a gas and oil platform or a ship or an urban environment – ascend up buildings, build expedient anchors, then quickly egress out of the buildings if necessary,” said Staff Sgt. Adam Powell, chief instructor of the assault climber section, SOTG, I MEF.
Marines began the training with a refresher on safety and knot techniques, and then moved on to utilizing their equipment to their advantage.
“This training is great for these Marines” said Staff Sgt. Adam R. Morrison, the assault climber section staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge with SOTG, IMEF. “With the knowledge we are giving them today, they will be able to overcome almost any obstacle.”
The Marines going through the course learned ascending techniques using different tools as complex as an ice axe and rope ladders, to a simple technique using a single rope and two carabineers. The Marines also learned different methods of climbing like the “Texas kick” method, where the climber makes a kick start motion to assist in ascension.
“Personally I like using the ‘Texas kick’ method,” said Lance Cpl. Douglass Jorgensen. “I just like the feel, and I can do it faster than the ascenders.”
Once the Marines learned the basics, instructors taught them some of their tricks of the trade. They also learned about different rope and equipment configurations, called systems, which could be manipulated to fit any scenario.
“The great thing about this system is that it’s very easy to turn into a rappel,” Powell said. “First I put an overhand in here and we are going to call that our catastrophe knot, if I start to slip it won’t go past this knot. Then I remove this carabineer and now all I’m ready to rappel.”
The instructors bestowed years of firsthand knowledge on the students giving them many tools for any situation.
“During humanitarian aid missions, or if we are in an area where there are a lot of demolished buildings, or for some reason we can’t get on top of a building or down a building because the stairway is demolished, or any sort of other reason, we are taking these techniques and trying to apply them so we can use that in those areas,” said Lance Cpl. Dominique Sparacino.
The Marines who completed the training left with a sense of accomplishment.
“I like this training,” Sparacino said. “Even though it’s difficult, it’s really paying off.”
| Date Taken: | 10.02.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 10.10.2014 01:19 |
| Story ID: | 144816 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 138 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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