BLT 1/5 helo company conducts heliborne raids
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (June 29, 2007) -- Marines hit hard and hit fast. Whether attacking as a squad on foot, rolling in with a convoy of up-armored humvees, or barreling through the streets in a M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank, Marines can always be counted on to get into the fight. But when Marines are needed immediately, they take to the skies where no road block or improvised explosive device can slow them down.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/64EAFE0974635BE685257309007A9D73?opendocument
June 29, 2007; Submitted on: 06/29/2007 06:19:16 PM ; Story ID#: 2007629181916
By Cpl. Scott M. Biscuiti, 11th MEU
The Marines of Company C, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit loaded up on CH-46E Sea Knight and CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters recently conducted heliborne raids to sharpen their skills as the ground combat element’s helo company.
The company attended classes that covered everything from calling in air support to conducting sensitive site exploitation from June 25-30 at Fire Base Gloria, here. They executed two raids, one day and one night, in preparation of their upcoming deployment later this year.
For Marines like Lance Cpl. Cesar Flores, a Woodburn, Ore., native, the training served as a refresher, but for many of the Marines new to the unit, flying in a helicopter was a new experience.
“It was the first time for the company as a whole to fly into an objective and assault it,” said Flores, a rifleman with 3rd Squad, 1st Platoon.
Flores said, aside from the actual assaults, calling in air support on the radio was one of the most helpful parts of the training, and something that most junior Marines don’t know how to do.
Like most of the Marines in Company C, Flores said he enjoys being in the helo company because of the speed at which they can conduct missions.
“When we do an assault it is a hard hit,” he said. “We land fast, move fast, and leave fast.”
Though rehearsing for raids might seem monotonous, the I Marine Expeditionary Force Special Operations Training Group kept the Marines engaged with surprises at every turn.
“One of the things I didn’t experience last year were the explosions,” Flores said. “They had simulated (rocket propelled grenades) and (improvised explosive devices) going off all around us during the raids. It got me all pumped up and was a total surprise.”
Sgt. Nicholas Boire, a Minnetonka, Minn., native, said he was impressed with the high level of aggressiveness that the Marines of the company displayed during the raids and seeing the small unit leaders grow.
“Some of the positive things I saw was the fighting spirit of the Marines,” said Boire, 1st Squad Leader, 1st Platoon. “During the raids you can really see the fire team leaders coming into their own and making important decisions. They weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, kill the bad guys, clear rooms and take prisoners.”