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Marines from Scout Platoon, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, participated in a training and readiness exercise to true their rifles aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Oct. 22-24, 2014. The three-day training event helped prepare Marines for upcoming combined arms exercises and potential combat operations abroad.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Tony Simmons

Scouts take aim during ITX 1-15

4 Nov 2014 | Lance Cpl. Tony Simmons The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website

Marines from Scout Platoon, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment participated in a training and readiness exercise aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California on Oct. 22-24, 2014.

 Scouts prepared for upcoming combined arms exercises and potential combat operations abroad through training meant to sharpen their skills. As a vital component of the ground combat element of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force, scout platoon Marines provide reconnaissance, target designation and long-range precision fires to their commander.

The exercise included firing at targets ranging from 200-600 meters from a prone position.

“We are out here preparing for our next training deployment,” said Lance Cpl. Daniel Lemus, a point man for Scout Platoon, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment from Miami. “We are truing our rifles in order to hit point of aim, point of impact and adjusting our holds at unknown distances.”

The exercise allowed the Camp Lejeune, North Carolina-based scouts to become more familiar with their rifles and scouting equipment in an unfamiliar environment. 

“This training is great for us because we get to practice out of our normal element,” said Lemus. “We have the opportunity to fire in a different climate than we have back in Camp Lejeune.” 

After completing sniper training, Scout Platoon moved on to integrate into more complex exercises involving other units from the ground combat and air combat elements of the MAGTF.

“This is the first time, as a platoon, we have shot a target (only) 12 inches in diameter,” said Lance Cpl. Jonathan Jules, a radio operator and Miami Beach, Florida, native with Scout Plt., Weapons Co., 3rd Bn., 2nd Marines. “This prepares our unit for minimum exposure targets during urban combat situations, helping us achieve mission accomplishment.”