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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII – The soft crunch of vegetation underfoot could be faintly heard among scattered whispers as infantry squad leaders in the making traversed the unforgiving terrain of Kahuku Training Area (KTA). The squad leaders tactically and deliberately patrolled to their objectives and expertly maneuvered their Marines through thick brush to accomplish their assigned missions. These missions ranged from defensive operations, setting up ambushes, and offensive operations including scouting and raiding.
For 8 weeks, from Jan. 20 to March 26, 2025, instructors with Advanced Infantry Training Battalion (AITB), Detachment Hawaii, School of Infantry West, oversaw the development of the Advanced Infantry Marine Course (AIMC) class 2-25, refining their basic skills and instilling in them the knowledge and skills necessary to lead a rifle platoon into combat. “AIMC challenges you to become a leader in difficult situations,” said Cpl. Fielding Davis, an infantry rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. “You must be able to take a step back from the situation and say, ‘Where's my head at? Where are my guys at? How can I develop the situation from here?’”
Instruction for the course was executed through lectures, practical applications, field training, and live fire exercises. Marines received classes in troop leading, communications, combat hunter skills, weapons and munitions, patrolling, offensive and defensive tactics, and urban operations. Afterwards, each student was evaluated on their field leadership, emphasizing decision-making abilities. “The course is about being decisive --we’re assessing the Marines’ leadership abilities,” said Staff Sgt. Zachary Cimino, a Marine combat instructor with AITB. “We pass down a mission statement to the students and they must be able to explain their plan clearly and confidently, and then execute that plan.”
Most of the 2-25 AIMC students traveled from Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, and had to quickly acclimate to Hawaii’s humidity, dense vegetation, and elevation gain. At KTA, the students faced elevation levels ranging between just 80 feet to 2,100 feet above sea level across approximately 9,480 acres. “The terrain is extremely treacherous, and the weather is unforgiving,” said Sgt. Thane Yingling, an infantry rifleman with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. “If you want to succeed, you need to be able to thrive in something as dynamic and fluid as a combat environment.”
Within the vast, heavy woods of KTA, the AIMC students encountered other Marines playing the role of oppositional forces during their patrols and offensive and defensive operations. The role players ambushed the students during all hours of the day and night, adding another layer of realism and friction to the course. The difficulties and unexpected challenges that arise during combat, make simple tasks difficult, and the difficult seem impossible. Among the many sources of friction is “the fog of war,” an inherent atmosphere of uncertainty and chaos that characterizes combat. “The Marines are engaging with live, thinking people, who move differently than targets and adapt to the situation just as they do,” said Cimino. “The terrain, weather, and enemy fire all work against them, forcing them to make difficult decisions quickly.”
The AIMC cultivates the mental fortitude and physical resilience of participating infantry riflemen and pushes them to their limits. Combat instructors frequently required the students, some with little exposure to the field and little experience leading, to complete urgent tasks under stressful conditions, and make troop movements through extreme elevation. The course developed students week by week, turning them into effective squad leaders capable of carrying out tactical employment, fire discipline, fire control, and maneuvering of their Marines. Infantry riflemen who complete the AIMC are more than prepared to make split-second decisions under stressful conditions, and lead troops into combat.
| Date Taken: | 01.20.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.28.2025 22:26 |
| Story ID: | 494076 |
| Location: | KANEOHE, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 35 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Decide, Communicate, Act – Advanced Infantry Marine Course 2-25, by Sgt Julian Elliott-Drouin, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
