Photo By Sgt. Clemente Garcia | Lance Cpl. Brandon J. Ward and Cpl. Jesus R. Duarte reload an M240B medium machine gun...... read more read more
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Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, executed fire and maneuver training with High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles during a deployment for training exercise at Fort Pickett, Va., Dec. 3, 2016.
The purpose of this training was to allow the Marines to build trust and confidence with each other while engaging targets as a team from HMMWVs. These fire and maneuver drills the Marines conducted are called bounding drills.
“Bounding is when we use the HMMWVs to move up on an enemy while taking contact,” said Lance Cpl. Brandon J. Ward, a HMMWV operator with the unit. “One HMMWV would stop, while another one advances forward, while the stopped HMMWV lays suppression fire. Then once he is stopped, the other HMMWV would move forward and get on line.”
During the bounding drills, the Marines fired M2 .50 caliber machine guns, MK19 40mm grenade launchers and M240B medium machine guns from HMMWVs.
“We’re here getting more familiar with all the weapons systems we may use, prior to deployment,” Ward said. “That way everyone is confident with what we’re using.”
The vehicle range has four lanes. During each fire and maneuver drill, one vehicle operates in a single lane.
“This allows the Marines to see what dispersion looks like with the vehicles,” said Cpl. Donovan S. Pinette, a vehicle commander with the unit. “This range teaches the Marines how to move and work together as a team.”
Each team is composed of a driver, a gunner and a vehicle commander. Aside from the shooting aspect of the range, the Marines learned to communicate better within their teams and with the other vehicles.
The mission is to get the Marines used to moving while shooting, said Pinette. This training gives them experience in their job as a combined anti-armor team. It allows the Marines to become better suited for combat and gives team leaders an opportunity to direct vehicles and fire.
| Date Taken: | 12.19.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 12.19.2016 14:29 |
| Story ID: | 218140 |
| Location: | BLACKSTONE, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 200 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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