Bridgeport, Calif. -- Across the world from Afghanistan and Iraq, Reserve Marines are approaching insurgents and laying suppressive fire.
The Reserve Marines of C Co., 1st Bn., 23rd Marine Regiment trained here in convoy operations as part of exercise Javelin Thrust 2009.
Their training involved a mock convoy which was approached and attacked by role-players acting as insurgents in the training area surrounding the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center here.
Many Marines train here to learn and overcome the challenges of mountainous terrain, because of the geographical similarities of this area to certain provinces in Afghanistan.
For some, the experience is new while others have been deployed and can speak to the proficiency of the course.
“The role-players gave us a lot of different scenarios that I think that’s on the same level as reality when you get out there,” said Cpl. Jacob Trevino, 1st platoon, C Co., 1st Bn., 23rd Marine Regiment, who has been on two deployments. “You might hit an improvised explosive device (IED), come under small arms fire, or have a Marine with a concussion; there are a lot of things to think about and I think today was an eye-opener for the junior Marines.”
Trevino also stressed the importance of taking one’s time learning these life-saving strategies
“In this environment you really have to crawl, walk, then run,” he said. “Learning to be efficient first is really key.”
Another key ingredient in everything the Marine Corps does is teamwork. Trevino says it outshines all other aspects of the convoy training.
“The most beneficial part of the training is the Marines learning how one another works. For a Marine to go out there and know what another Marine is thinking, that is the best thing they can possibly learn.”
An aspect that also added to the fun-factor of the lessons was the newness of the subject matter.
“The training is different from what you’re taught at the School of Infantry,” said Lance Cpl. Armando Govea Jr., also with C Co., and a full-time student. “The strategies they teach us are more elaborate and show you to be pro-active and keep your enemy guessing what it is you’ll do next.”
Though there was much to absorb the instructors made the class work said Govea.
“The instructors are really good and they did the best thing you can do by passing their knowledge on to us,” he said.
The uncertainness of warfighting is another part of convoy operations that these mock encounters prepare the Marines to face.
“I think the training links up really well and it allows the Marines to actually experience some of the firing and explosions that you would in combat,” said Lance Cpl. Tony Bonilla, also with C Co. and with a deployment under his belt. “We were hit by an IED, sniper fire and flank attacks. You never know what you’ll run into in war and that is what they’ve prepared us for.”
Javelin Thrust 2009 is an exercise of more than 2,000 Reserve Marines which allows the Reserve Force to prepare and practice sending units overseas on deployments.