Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 participated in a fast-roping exercise with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Sept. 15.
To Cpl. Nathan England, a crew chief with HMH-465 and an Aurora, Colo., native, this type of training hits home and brings back a satisfying past experience.
“We pulled a lot of 3/5 out of Afghanistan after they were getting hit hard on their last deployment,” said England. “I am glad to see them home and training again, and I hope they stay safe on their next deployment.”
Marines with 3/5 are preparing for future deployment-operations and needed to brush up on their fast-roping skills in order to be proficient in various combat missions.
“We are practicing with coordination and refreshing ourselves with the basics,” said Lance Cpl. Diego Rodriguez, a machine gunner with 3/5 and a Madison, Wis., native.
Fast roping is a key part of some missions during deployment and to do it safely is important.
“We train Marines to fast rope to get them in quickly and quietly, hit the target and get back out,” said England. “Fast ropes can be dangerous, so the more experience they get, the faster they can get the mission done with a better chance of nothing going wrong.”
All of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing’s squadrons support and help train infantrymen efficiently with fast roping and other exercises to ready Marines for an overseas deployment to accomplish missions and return home to their families.