For the past two days, the Marines of Ground Combat Element, Security Cooperation Task Force, Africa Partnership Station 2011 have been taking in their new surroundings. The move from Senegalese savannah to Gabonese riverfront might be a pleasant change of scenery to some, but the mission of partnered military-to-military exchanges remains the same.
As the partnership here prepares to pick up, the second squad of the Ground Combat Element are staying mission ready by pursuing continued education in tactics. Under the sub-Saharan African sun, the Marines spent an afternoon reviewing combat scenarios by playing tactical decision games.
“These kinds of classes are good for us as young Marines,” said Lance Cpl. Justin Begg, an Omaha, Neb., native. “It gets us thinking about different strategies for situations we may face when we become corporals and sergeants.”
The TDGs put Marines in the role of a commander facing a tactical problem. The games provide only a limited amount of time and information, and require the junior Marines to develop their own plan to solve the problem.
Squad leader Sgt. Daniel Smith acted as a moderator for the TDGs. He presented scenarios, answered questions, selected different players to brief their plans to the group and critiqued each plan. By proposing ‘what if’ and ‘why’ scenarios, the Marines urged one another to think outside the box and confidently make tactical decisions.
“Confidence is a huge part of being an effective leader,” said Smith, a Warner Robins, Ga., native. “It doesn’t matter if we’re doing (Marine Corps Martial Arts Program) techniques, (military operations in urban terrain), TDGs or practicing drill, if you’re confident in yourself your Marines will trust you.”
Throughout the scenarios, the junior Marines were confronted with enemy patrols, enemy convoys, natural obstacles, urban infrastructure and heavy enemy opposition. Using the terrain and unit designators taught in previous TDGs, the Marines employed light, medium and heavy equipment, weaponry and personnel.
“Knowing all the symbols and recognizing what the enemy is doing is important in a TDG,” said Begg. “You have to think how the enemy would think, and beat them using what is at your disposal. The more equipment and variables you have to work with, the harder it gets.”
Learning these tactics is an opportunity rarely afforded to Marines outside of the infantry, but as amphibious assault vehicle operators, learning the basics of military strategy is a lesson worth learning to maintain combat readiness.
“Marines are always thinking as they go and using whatever they have around them,” said Begg. “It’s important to become a leader that can improvise and pull stuff out of thin air.”
The art of war is passed on from generation to generation of military leaders. In learning to make better decisions more quickly and efficiently, the junior Marines here now have a common thread of knowledge to pass on to future Marines.
“You can be the most motivated and knowledgeable leader out there with all the experience in the world, but if you don’t teach and pass it on then all of it dies with you,” said Smith.
Security Cooperation Task Force, Africa Partnership Station 2011 is an APS-11 asset that conducts hands-on, partnered engagement designed to strengthen participating nations’ maritime security capacity through multilateral collaboration and cross-border cooperation. The SCTF, based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.is supported by Marine Corps Forces, Africa as it deploys throughout the Marine Corps’ area of operations in Africa. The task force began its deployment to Ghana in March and is now continuing its follow-on mission at Gabon.