Photo By Cpl. Harley Thomas | Pfc. Thomas Thompson, a machine gunner with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine...... read more read more
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POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, Hawaii – Roughly 6,000 feet above sea level, Marines with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, prepare for their annual training exercise, Lava Viper, one of the staples of their pre-deployment training, aboard Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Oct. 22, 2015.
Lava Viper provides the Hawaii-based Marines with an opportunity to conduct various movements, as well as live-fire and tactical training before departing for Integrated Training Exercise aboard Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., where the battalion will train and be evaluated as a whole.
“The purpose of Lava Viper is to sustain and improve the battalion’s efficiency in combat,” said Lt. Col. Timothy S. Brady, the commanding officer of 3rd Bn., 3rd Marines. “The training is more advanced here because the terrain is more challenging than what Oahu has to offer, meaning the command and control of live-fire maneuvers, as well as the integration of combined-arms, becomes much more difficult for the Marines here.”
Brady, a Fairfax, Va., native, said he expects Marines participating in Lava Viper to train all the battalion’s assets, from the individual Marine up to the company level. He said it’s important to not only focus on the skills of an individual, but on the progression of each company through combined-arms attack and defense.
“I hope the Marines of ‘Trinity’ improve their occupational proficiency and combat readiness – we need to be prepared to fight tonight, that’s what Marines do,” Brady said. “We are the nation’s crisis response force, and we must be vigilant and ready when the rest of the country is least prepared. While this training might tire them out, I want my Marines to make every minute of every hour and every hour of every day to count. I hope they work hard and to the best of their ability, and I hope they enjoy themselves and have fun while working closely with one another.”
2nd Lt. Ian Voss, the communications officer for Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Bn., 3rd Marines, said working together like this is going to help the battalion understand how well everyone can operate together in a combat environment. The Newport Beach, Calif., native, said this is his first experience with Lava Viper, and he is excited to see what lies in store for him and his Marines.
“These are some of the hardest workers I have come across,” Voss said. “However, the Marines are going to make mistakes and that’s all right, that’s a good thing. It’s better to err during training and learn from our mistakes while we can, rather than err in combat and risk loss of life. It’s important for these guys to become more familiar with their occupation so that they may perform to the best of their ability in order to further enhance the battalion’s performance.”
Pfc. Devon Waddell, a machine gunner with Weapons Company, 3rd Bn., 3rd Marines, said coming out of Lava Viper, he hopes to attain more knowledge in his field.
“At the other ranges, we are limited as to what rounds we can or cannot fire – out here, however, we actually have the room to fire without those restrictions,” said Waddell, a Greensboro, N.C., native. “Through this, I will be able to better understand what it means to be a machine gunner.”
Having only been with Weapons Co. for about four months, he said his expectations with the battalion are set high.
“This is my first real training operation and the newer guys, including myself, are learning more about our roles every day,” Waddell said. “The Marines around us have made sure we are very prepared, just like they do before any op. We continuously study our jobs, day and night, to ensure we can effectively cope with any tricky situations, should they arise. Over the next couple weeks, I may not know what to expect, but I am very excited for it and I feel prepared for what’s coming.”
Voss said Lava Viper is important because it benefits the battalion, allowing the leadership to see what each Marine’s strengths and weaknesses are.
“This is a very tight-knit group of people and the senior Marines always have the junior Marines’ best interest in mind – it’s like that all across the board for the entire battalion – and that’s good because it can be a challenge to make sure everyone works together,” he said. “Personally, I expect my Marines to utilize their knowledge, experience and expertise in order to work together and accomplish the mission.”
Voss said he is looking forward to working with the Marines of 3rd Bn., 3rd Marines, for the duration of the exercise.
“I’ve been in the Marine Corps for 15 years, and these are, hands down, some of the finest Marines I have ever come across,” Voss said. “They are highly trained and skilled, they think for themselves, and they are very intelligent. Within the past week, two of our most senior billets had to be filled and, so far, the Marines who rose to fill those positions are doing a tremendous job – they take initiative and I am truly impressed by what they do. This is truly an incredible group of Marines.”
| Date Taken: | 10.30.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 10.30.2015 21:10 |
| Story ID: | 180492 |
| Location: | POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, HAWAII, US |
| Hometown: | FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,009 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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