JERICHO, Vt. --
Marines
with 1st Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, conducted
exercise Nordic Frost in the mountains of Vermont at Ethan Allen Training
Center from Jan. 5-14, 2016. More than 750 Reserve Marines from Maine to
Western New York gathered together in the cold environment for their
collaborative, annual exercise.
During the exercise, Marines
conducted multiple simulated combat scenarios in below-freezing weather to
improve their offensive and defensive
capabilities, execution of combat logistics and mountain warfare.
“All of our training is focused
around being able to survive and fight in the environment that we find
ourselves,” said 1st Sgt. Daniel P. Healey with Company A, 1st Bn., 25th
Marines. “In the mountains and cold, we
need to be able to execute offense, defense, combat logistics and command and
control.”
Each company took turns at different
ranges, to practice essential core competencies.
“For the conduct of the offense, one
of the things we will be doing is a squad-supported attack,” said Healey. “We are going to have a squad attack while
being supported by our own internal assets such as medium machine guns, mortars
and scout snipers. The intent is to familiarize Marines with live-fire attacks
and using all the tools at their disposal to locate, close with and destroy the
enemy.”
The Marines made the simulated
events as realistic as possible, adding movements and live rounds to the
training.
“We are going to have basic riflemen
run up the range and meet a squad-sized element and then a platoon-sized
element,” explained Pfc. Carl G. Shoup, a machine gunner with 1st Battalion,
25th Marines. “The machine gunners will be posted on top of Machine Gun Hill to
provide cover fire and simulate a real operation.”
The simulated operations honed the Marines’ skills and prepared them for unique environments and situations.
The Marines trained hard while enduring freezing cold temperatures to improve their capabilities and their ability to deal with these realistic situations. Their mental toughness and perseverance continue to show the world that 4th Marine Division will be ready at a moment’s notice and will perform to the best of their abilities in any environment.