Photo By Master Sgt. John Nimmo, Sr. | U.S. Marine Maj. Michael Jones, air operations coyote, Tactical Training and Exercise...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - Laying on the icy-cold rocks upon a ridgeline overlooking the valley, a small contingent of U.S. Marines have come together to lay waste to a simulated enemy under the watchful eye of a cadre of coyotes, also known as range controllers. It’s fire support coordination training time at Integrated Training Exercise 2-16 aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Jan. 23, 2016.
Unlike having a direct line of sight to your target, indirect firing of weapons is performed by calculating azimuth and elevation angles.
“The fire support team is a team that controls all of the indirect fires,” said Sgt. Jacob Flurry, joint terminal attack controller with 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division.
In the arsenal of indirect fires, Marines use artillery, mortars, and fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
“We use communication equipment to coordinate their attack safely but effectively and try to achieve simultaneous actions, so we can support the maneuver element proceeding toward an objective area while they’re covered by indirect fire support,” explained Gunnery Sgt. Daniel Haack, air operations coyote, Tactical Training and Exercise Control Group (TTECG), Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) Twentynine Palms.
Not having previous experience working together is fairly atypical for a fire support team.
“When you form new teams, you have to build that cohesiveness and learn the nuances of how each person communicates,” said 1st Lt. Zzmarr Stone, fire support team leader with 3rd LAR. “It took us about a day to iron out the wrinkles, but I think we’re on the right track.”
Off in the distance, far beyond that which is seen without the assistance of binoculars or other specialized spotting scopes, sits the virtual enemy.
“We started with two targets. One was an air defense asset,” said Stone. “We’re learning how to integrate our indirect fire assets and get [aircraft] safely in and out of the objective.”
Being evaluated is nothing new to a U.S. Marine, and this timed assessment is no different.
“We’re looking for progress,” said Haack. “What we like to do is take everyone with their individual skill sets and push them past their limits. As long as safety is there and training is making progress, then they’re making progress. That’s essentially the criteria that we’re calling good.”
With the right coaching all things are possible.
“A well-executed fire support plan with no safety issues where the objective areas have been taken over by notional maneuver, we’re calling that ‘success,’” said Haack.
| Date Taken: | 01.23.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 02.04.2016 21:06 |
| Story ID: | 187964 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 141 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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