Photo By Staff Sgt. Ryan Smith | Corporal James Leitch, a team leader with Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines,...... read more read more
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FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELARAM II, Afghanistan - A contingent of non-commissioned officers gathered at Forward Operating Base Delaram II, Afghanistan recently to discuss lessons learned from their experiences on the battlefield.
From every unit across the Regimental Combat Team 8 battle space, the Marines converged on the regimental headquarters for the first RCT-8 NCO Symposium Sept. 21-22.
The Marines shared some of their experiences concerning different topics ranging from countering improvised explosive devises to working in a counterinsurgency situation.
“There are all kinds of lessons learned, (techniques, tactics and procedures) and best practices,” said Sgt. Maj. David Jobe, regimental sergeant major. “I feel my job as a senior enlisted leader is to make sure we are sharing information throughout the battle space.”
Sitting around a large conference table, each of the 16 attendees took their turn addressing successes and failures in how they go about the business of securing their areas. Each topic was open for discussion amongst the group and ideas poured into the air.
“It’s really interesting to hear what (others) are dealing with and the things I can bring back to my unit,” said Cpl. James Leitch, a team leader with Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. “This has been a great learning experience. It’s been awesome meeting some of the other NCOs and learning how they do things.”
These NCOs will normally see only limited areas of the district their battalions operate in over the course of a deployment. The insurgent knows this and will use it to his advantage. Meetings such as this keep the small-unit leaders informed as to the enemy’s newest tactics in other areas.
“I thought it was extremely informative just to have everybody together,” said Leitch, an Orlando, Fla. native and 2007 graduate of Orange County Public High School. “I primarily deal with the ‘brown zone’ where there are lots of IEDs, but I’m sitting across the table from a guy who isn’t dealing with as many IEDs but it’s kinetic all the time.”
The discussion primarily focused on tactics and procedures as well as the use of military working dogs and the use of counterinsurgency operations.
“In the past two days, I’ve learned about errors I’ve been making,” said Cpl. Paul Chambers, a squad leader for Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Marines. “Some things I’ve been omitting from patrols. There are different thought patterns from guys in our neighboring sectors from 1/5 where they talked about their compounds and the way they look at compounds. In my (area of operations), we might not go into compounds because there’s no need. If we have a safer manner to go in there, a procedure that has been used in other AO’s, why not use it?”
The symposium also opened their eyes to realizing not all of the units represented were infantry battalions. Battery E, 2nd Battalion, 12th Marines is filling a role as an infantry company even though their Marines come from an artillery background and includes patrols with individuals from all walks in the Corps.
“Echo 2/12 has proven it…they’re a cannon battery running around just like grunts,” said Chambers, an Ocean City, Md. native and 1997 graduate of Stephen Decatur High School. “There’s wireman, a [communications] guy and motor-t personnel in the symposium. They’re doing things in just the same manner as grunts do.
“As particular as grunts like to be about what we do on the deck, and say ‘hey, that’s my job; you do your thing,’ we all know that sometimes you get thrown in positions you’re not prepared for because that’s not your job specifically,” said Chambers. “With this type of environment and how you can just get tossed into something, everyone should be cross trained to an extent. You should be a master of your trade but a jack of all trades; (you) should still come up the Marine Corps way,”
Overall, the lesson being taught wasn’t lost on one single topic during the nine-hour discussion.
“Keep an open mind to what other people are doing,” said Leitch. “Don’t get into the mindset of what I’m doing is the right thing. My opinion has been changed about a lot of different things we’ve been doing just hearing what different units have been successful in, and their failures as well, and having them critique what I’m doing.
“That diversity of experience helps round me out to be a better NCO and Marine,” added Leitch.
The symposium was deemed a success by the Marines involved and they hope to return to their unit equipped with the new information and spread the word about what they learned.
“I have definitely got a lot out of this, and I’m going to bring it all back,” said Chambers. “I hope to share this information amongst the platoon and throughout the company. From the company commanders down, it should be seen by all. All Marines should see what’s going on throughout [the area] and every one trained up and down with what we are talking about here.”
EDITORS NOTE: Regimental Combat Team 8 is currently assigned to 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.
| Date Taken: | 10.06.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 10.06.2011 00:54 |
| Story ID: | 78092 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELARAM II, AF |
| Web Views: | 359 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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