Darkhorse Marines learn weapons of insurgency
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (May 30, 2007) -- A former master sergeant in the Israeli Army educated Darkhorse Marines on enemy weapons systems during the Stu Segall Hyper-Realistic Training exercise May 8.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/95A80BB22FC42C20852572EB00761D40?opendocument
May 30, 2007; Submitted on: 05/30/2007 05:30:07 PM ; Story ID#: 200753017307
By Lance Cpl. Jerry Murphy, MCB Camp Pendleton
Larry E. Zanoff, a 42-year-old originally from Haifa, Israel, and senior weapons expert for Stu Segall Productions, gave Marines of Company L and Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, an enemy-weapons class to help them understand and recognize threats and disable insurgent weaponry.
“This class is designed so that when a Marine comes across an AK-47 or any other enemy weapons while deployed, he knows how to properly disable it,” Zanoff said. “The class also teaches Marines how to recognize enemy rank just by a weapon,” Zanoff continued.
“If there’s a group of insurgents and one of them has a pistol or a short-stock AK, you know he’s got some kind of information to tell or give up,” Zanoff said. “If he tells you he’s an infantryman, you can tell if he’s lying by his weapon.”
Marines employing this valuable information in Iraq will aid Coalition efforts in the Global War on Terrorism.
“When we went in-country last year, we hadn’t had any classes on enemy weapons, and it would have helped in some situations,” said Cpl. Bret T. Younts, squad leader, Company L. “Now that we have had this class, we will know how to handle certain situations differently and more effectively. This class was good to go,” Younts continued.
“It was interesting to see all the different types of weapons used by the (insurgents),” said Lance Cpl. Doug B. Jones, an administration clerk with H & S Co.
During the demonstration, Zanoff held up a standard knife and asked, “How is this weapon more dangerous than it looks?” He pulled a small trigger on the hilt. Bang! The entire classroom of Marines jolted back in their chairs. A 9mm blank fired out of a designated spot small enough for one round.
“You can never be sure when it comes to their weapons. Anything can be any type of weapon,” Younts said. “When that knife shot off, it kind of surprised us, but you have to be ready for that because you never know,” he said.
Whether it is learning about enemy weapons systems or kicking down doors in the streets of Iraq, survival requires that Marines take what they have learned and apply it every day.
“The knowledge of enemy weapons systems is the key to victory against terrorism,” Zanoff said. “If we know what kinds of weapons the enemy is using, that’s what we can use to build our strategies around,” he continued.
“Knowledge is power, and power will prevail.”