Marines attend urban simulation training, prepare for Iraq
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Oct. 27, 2006) -- While walking down a road within the confines of a deserted town, Marines hold their M-16 A2 rifles at the ready and remain alert as they pass through a dangerous area with a high probability of an enemy ambush.
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Oct. 27, 2006; Submitted on: 10/27/2006 09:22:11 AM ; Story ID#: 2006102792211
By Cpl. Joel Abshier, 2nd Marine Logistics Group
Sweat and hunger rolls through them, however, to stay alive the Marines push on without complaint and maintain their stride as they scan the buildings up and down.
“Contact left!” shouts a Marine at the sounds of enemy fire from a nearby building.
Without hesitation, the Marines from all squads react to the ambush and set up a defensive perimeter while Marines, one by one, enter the house to begin clearing and eliminating the hostile threat.
Five Marines with K9 platoon, Military Police Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, attached to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division learned how to patrol, enter buildings, clear rooms and maintain themselves in an urban environment during a Basic Urban Skills Training course here, Oct. 23-27.
“We’re acting as security,” said Lance Cpl. Cody Gensler, who is with Police Transition Team 2. “The whole team is going to help train Iraqi police forces once we deploy.”
During the week-long course, Marines attended classes, performed practical applications and conducted live-fire ambush and sniper simulations, all within the blocks of a town built to train Marines for urban warfare.
“This is the premier Military Operations Urban Terrain facility on the eastern coast,” said Cpl. Lucas C. Wagner, a BUST instructor with Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division Training Center. “We have had everyone from the (Marine Corps) band to infantry doing spin ups in the BUST course before deploying to Iraq. Foreign military, such as the Czechoslovakians, Dutch and Canadians,FBI and the Jacksonville Special Weapons and Tactics team have also been through this course.”
Using the crawl, walk, run method, Marines who have not conducted operations in Iraq experienced the way of life that is lead in the field. Sleeping, eating and working from sunrise to sunset, the training proved beneficial to the Marines heading to Iraq.
“It’s important because you’re going to have to know how to clear houses and counter any fire that comes upon you,” Gensler said. “It’s what we’re going to be doing in Iraq.”
The final two days of training consisted of live simulation rounds to illustrate the gravity of combat.
“On average, all units who come through here are on the same level when they finish,” Wagner concluded.