Range time secures ties of friendship, professional effort 

“One!” “Un!” “Two!” “Deux!” U.S. Marines and Beninese Soldiers count off from the 50-yard line. More than 100 troops are gathered at the small arms range here for the second day of weapons familiarization during Exercise SHARED ACCORD 09.

“We’re here to train with our counterparts and improve our interoperability,” said Maj. John K. Jarron, company commander with Lima Company, 3rd Marines, 23rd Battalion, 4th Marine Division. “This is a mutual learning experience.  (The Beninese) are teaching us as much as we’re teaching them. Their professionalism and discipline is exceptional, and they’re as good a foreign force as I’ve ever seen.”

Lima Company began their training evolution June 12, and structured it to include the Marine Corps Combat Marksmanship Program, bilateral small weapons familiarization, live fire movements, convoy operations and qualification with a variety of weapons.

“It’s going really well,” said Gunnery Sgt. James Fowler, company gunnery sergeant with 3/23, and an Anderson, S.C., native. “Their weapons handling is already good, and their training and professionalism is leaps and bounds beyond any of the (foreign forces) we’ve worked with in the past.”

During the day, Marines exchanged weapons with the Beninese troops, and stepped up to the firing line with the new weight of Type 56 assault rifles in their hands.

“It’s definitely a different weapon,” said Fowler.  “But a weapon is a weapon, and if you apply the fundamentals you learned in boot camp, you should be able to pick up any weapon. Besides, these are country boys, so they’re taking to it pretty well.”

The weapons switch was not the only trade of the day. Marines also exchanged conversation, tests of strength through an arm wrestling competition and jokes with their Beninese comrades.

“I learned about this trip a couple of months ago,” said Lance Cpl. Brian Wiggins, an infantry man with Lima 3/23. “I thought it was really great that we’d be able to build a school here, learn their weapons systems and experience another culture.”

Wiggins, a Pell City, Ala., native, said the unit prepared for the training exercise with a series of classes covering everything from Benin customs and the French language, to weapons identification, operations, and climate.

“I’m glad we’re here,” added the squad automatic weapon gunner.

The feeling is mutual, according to Benin Army PA1 Henri Djedji, a commando parachutist.

“We enjoy training with the Marines,” Djedji said.  “It’s super!  We wish it could be continuous.”

The training evolution hasn’t been all guns and roses though. According to Cpl. Taylor Phaturos, a squad leader with Lima Co., 3/23, one major challenge is the number of young, untested Marines. 

“They’ll learn,” said the Montgomery, Ala., native. “The main goal is to get them fully capable in fire and maneuver, and get them proficient in weapons handling and familiarization at the fire team level moving into the squad level. But we have to practice, practice, practice.”

The language barrier also posed a challenge, Phaturos added.  However, his growing impression is “The Beninese troops are awesome.”

“It’s been great,” he said.  “They’re friendly to us.  We’re friendly to them.  It’s like jumping into a bunch of guys that are friends – we just don’t speak the same language.”

SHARED ACCORD is a scheduled, bilateral U.S.-Benin exercise designed to improve interoperability and mutual understanding of each nation’s tactics, techniques and procedures.  The training will focus on individual and crew served weapons proficiency and small unit training tactics, techniques and procedures as well as company and battalion level staff training.

Additionally, SA09 will involve various medical related humanitarian assistance efforts for the local population and limited veterinary care in the vicinity of Bembereke. 

The exercise is scheduled to conclude on June 25, 2009. All U.S. forces will return to their home bases at the conclusion of the exercise.