Photo By Cpl. Joshua Hines | U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. James Fink with Security Cooperation Task Force Africa...... read more read more
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Romania– The Marines and sailors of Security Cooperation Task Force Africa Partnership Station 2012 partnered with the Romanian Marines of 307th Naval Infantry Battalion, during exercise Summer Storm 2012, Capu Midia, Romania, Aug. 10-15.
The week long training consisted of events varying from live-fire ranges, room clearing exercises and casualty evacuation drills to close-quarters combat training and combat conditioning, all culminating in a partnered amphibious beach assault.
"We had five days of great training," said Capt. Claudiu Visan, company commander with Romanian 307th Naval Infantry Battalion. The U.S. Marines were very friendly with us and our company's level of training was improved."
The first two days were spent doing live fire ranges and demonstrating each military's different tactics used for clearing rooms in an urban environment.
"Being able to work with the Romanian military was a very wonderful experience," said Cpl. Tony Small, rifle platoon, ground combat element, SCTF APS-12. "We learned a lot of things from them, and they were able to learn a lot of things from us.
After concluding the first two days of exercises the Romanian Marines joined the U.S. Marines aboard the USS Fort McHenry for two days. During that time they took part in a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program class showcasing some of the techniques learned in each of the MCMAP belt levels.
"In the beginning, it didn't seem like we were coming together like we should, but us getting out there getting closer and doing MCMAP, we found something we all liked to do, and we connected there and by the end became friends," said Small.
The day following the MCMAP training began exercise summer storm's final exercise, an amphibious beach assault partnering Marines from both countries aboard amphibious assault vehicles.
"We got to operate with our maximum capabilities," said Lance Cpl. Steven Pierce, assault amphibious vehicle platoon, GCE, SCTF APS-12. "We've never splashed on a foreign land as a platoon before. At first we had to get used to the landscape, but in the end it really didn't matter, because the way we train is designed to let us operate on any terrain. Our training during the work-up really came into play and it all came together whenever a problem or situation occurred and let us handle it properly."
The beach assault consisted of repelling an enemy ambush, quarantining an IED as well as rescuing a captive VIP from an enemy stronghold and evacuating the VIP via helicopter.
"Despite our different training styles, tactics and the language barrier, in the long run we all had the same goals, and we were able to accomplish all of them together," said Pierce.
"I would fight beside those guys any day, their like our brothers now," said Small.
| Date Taken: | 08.14.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 08.17.2012 05:21 |
| Story ID: | 93385 |
| Location: | CAPU MIDIA, RO |
| Web Views: | 668 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, APS-12: GCE partners with Romanian Marines for exercise Summer Storm 2012, by Cpl Joshua Hines, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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