Photo By Sgt. Michelle Reif | A machine gun team from Support Company, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, engages...... read more read more
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FORT A.P. HILL, Va. - The Marines of Support Company, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, conducted a machine gun range during a deployment for training exercise aboard Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, August 2, 2015.
While on the range, the company shot light, medium and heavy machine guns to teach the Marines the basics about handling each weapons system. The Marines fired the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, the M240B Medium Machine Gun and the M2 Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun.
“It went very well. Some of the Marine had never shot the weapon so it was definitely a learning experience,” said Gunnery Sgt. Clemente M. Gutierrez Jr., the company gunnery sergeant. “We started with classes, taught by some of the Marines trained at the division schools, and then went into machine gun drills such as immediate action and remedial action. Then we took them up on the gun line and engaged targets from 400 to 1000 meters out.”
The range was part of a three-week-long deployment for training where the battalion will enhance the Marines’ knowledge of their combat engineer skills in a unique training environment to prepare them for upcoming deployments.
“Sometimes the mission calls for repelling the enemy rather than attacking and these are great weapons systems for us to do that,” said Gutierrez.
For many of the Marines, it was their first time training on some of the weapons systems and many believed the range to be a success.
“I now feel extremely confident that if I do go to combat that I will be able to use these weapons systems,” said Lance Cpl. Reonard Hall, an electrician with utilities platoon. “This training made me feel like I now know what to do if I have to use a machine gun.”
The Marines will take what they learned from the range and then apply it later in the DFT when the company mounts the guns onto vehicles for a convoy live-fire exercise, explained Gutierrez.
“I hope they take away the small things,” said Gutierrez. “I hope they know enough about the weapon to implement it if they need to in a combat environment and also hone in on the basics. Someone is out there training to kill them right now and we need to make sure they know how to take care of their Marines.”
| Date Taken: | 08.02.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.05.2015 14:55 |
| Story ID: | 172247 |
| Location: | FORT A.P. HILL, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 226 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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