Photo By Sgt. Ashley Lawson | Marines with Motor Transport platoon, 2nd Amphibious Assault Battalion are given a...... read more read more
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Marines with Motor Transport platoon, 2nd Amphibious Assault Battalion, qualified with .50 caliber machine guns mounted on AMK-23 7-ton vehicles as part of Gunnery Table Five range at Camp Lejeune, N.C., Sept. 7-9.
The range focused on disassembling and assembling the .50 caliber machine gun mounted on an AMK-23 7-ton armored vehicle, using the weapon properly and adhering to weapon safety rules. The Marines cross-trained on the vehicles they routinely service to familiarize them and provide the ability to fill in for a fallen Marine in a combat scenario.
“Due to day to day operations working on the amphibious assault vehicles, we are not able to always train on the weapon systems mounted on them,” said 1st Lt. Frederick Schmitt, a motor transport platoon commander with the unit. “This allows us to broaden and sharpen our skills as Marines.”
The range delivered the opportunity to improve the Marines’ skills on basic convoy operations, basic gunnery skills and operating in a field setting.
“We have multiple targets down range in many spots for us to aim at, so we’re not just pointing and shooting,” said Cpl. Fernando Estima, a motor transport safety non-commissioned officer with the unit. “We’re essentially learning from the ground up, so going through each step in depth is very helpful.”
Although the Marines are motor transport operators, they are still required to have the knowledge and ability to disassemble and assemble weapons, which strengthens their proficiency and prepares them for potential real life scenarios.
“This allows us to get into a combat mindset and understand that our role as motor transport operators is more than just driving vehicles,” said Schmitt. “We watch out for every person, so we need the skills to pull through with it.”
The Marines went through pre-qualification and qualification cycles to expand their knowledge with the weapon, build unit cohesion and bolster combat readiness.
“We are always looking for ways to improve ourselves as Marines, and shooting often is [an effective] way to do it,” said Schmitt.
| Date Taken: | 09.08.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 09.08.2017 17:03 |
| Story ID: | 247508 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 217 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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