Photo Information

A squad leader with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment calculates distance and elevation of a simulated target during emergency close air support training at the Supporting Arms Virtual Trainer facility aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 2, 2015. The training was conducted to ensure all of the squad leaders within the company are familiar with emergency CAS procedures so they can employ the tactics if the need arises while on deployment.

Photo by Cpl. Shawn Valosin

Charlie Company, 1/8 conducts close air support training

5 Jun 2015 | Cpl. Shawn Valosin The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website

Squad leaders with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment conducted Emergency Close Air Support Training Exercise at the Supporting Arms Virtual Trainer facility at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, June 2, 2015.

The SAVT is one of only six of its kind in the Marine Corps, and is capable of displaying virtually any terrain on a 180-degree screen, giving a realistic feel to the scenarios. The facility is capable of running multiple sections of aircraft at a time with artillery, naval gun fire and mortars. Binoculars can also be picked up and turned around, creating a virtual 360-degree fight, with possible threats popping up behind participants.

By training in such an advanced facility, Marines can get the feel of calling in for emergency close air support without using aircraft, drones or munitions, making good use of the Marine Corps’ limited budget while simultaneously keeping service members out of harm’s way.

“We conducted the emergency CAS missions for the squad leaders with Charlie Company so they have a good base of knowledge on how to conduct one if they are in a troops-in-contact situation and need to contact a supporting arms asset in a hurry,” said Sgt. Matthew Whitaker, a mortar section leader and joint fires observer with Charlie Company.

Marines in the trainer called for simulated emergency close air support to the SAVT operator, relaying information that was necessary to get air support to a given target. The operator would then respond that he heard their call clearly and understood the directions, or that he did not hear what they said and had them relay the message again. Once the operator heard the call and had a target’s location and elevation, a simulated bomb would annihilate the target displayed on the screen in front of the squad leaders.

“In this [training] they’re doing emergency CAS procedures, so there are some [simulated] tanks out there that they’re going to find a location and elevation for and then they will radio in an aircraft and practice more of the procedures,” said Greg Szczepaniak, the SAVT operator-in-charge of the training.

The training was conducted to ensure all of the squad leaders within the company are familiar with emergency CAS procedures so they can employ the tactics if the need arises while on deployment. Marines were able to identify their strengths and weaknesses in a realistic environment without putting themselves or their fellow service members in danger.