MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. --
Marines
with 4th Force Reconnaissance Company, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces
Reserve, conducted parachute insertion, surveillance, patrolling, and land
navigation training aboard the central California base, March 8-12, 2016.
With more than 164,000 acres of
nearly un-encroached training area, Fort Hunter Liggett is an ideal location
for reconnaissance Marines to hone their craft.
With a diverse landscape of high mountains,
rolling hills, valleys, forest, and plains, the base provided a unique training
location for reconnaissance Marines to improve their skills. The less than
ideal weather provided the Marines with an added opportunity to refine their
ability to maintain an observation post and conduct surveillance under such harsh
conditions.
Parachute training allowed the
Marines to maintain their proficiency using the MC-7 parachute system, during
parachute operations. They specifically
executed a parachute insertion, with weapons and combat equipment, out of a
CH-47 helicopter from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment,
California Army National Guard, from Stockton, California. Once on the ground,
the Marines cached their parachutes and patrolled to their observation post to
conduct surveillance.
During
the simulated mission, the Marines had the opportunity to observe and report
real time on military training conducted by an adjacent Army reserve engineer unit. The observed activity was reported back to a
reconnaissance operations center where the engineering operations were
continuously monitored. Additionally, the Marines had the opportunity to
operate against an independent enemy who was actively conducting security
patrols in the training area.
At the end of the weekend, the
4th Force Reconnaissance Marines were able to receive valuable training by
combining multiple tiers of a reconnaissance mission, including insertion, surveillance,
and escape and evasion, into a full mission profile, including reporting on an
active opposition force.