CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - -- Marines with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment participated in a live-fire, fire-team attack range aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, March 16-19, 2015.
The live-fire range started as a building block for Marines, taking them from individual marksmanship training to fire-team operations.
A fire-team is typically comprised of four Marines; each member designated a specific duty. The rifleman acts as a scout for the team. The automatic rifleman carries a M249 Squad Automatic Weapon or the newly adopted M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle and acts as the second in command. The team leader typically carries an M203 grenade launcher and is the acting grenadier. Lastly, the assistant automatic rifleman carries his weapon, typically an M16-A4, and the extra ammunition for the team.
By conducting live-fire training, Marines were able to maintain proficiency on their designated weapon and effectively combine arms to close with and destroy the enemy.
“The team leaders are challenged to move their team around and make sure it’s a coordinated attack and exercise control in a live-fire scenario,” said 1st Lt. George Hepler, a platoon commander and native of Covington, Virginia. “This training improves their skills and builds confidence in the Marines’ abilities.”
The training also provided a chance for senior members of the unit to work alongside Marines who are new to the unit.
“We’ve been working a lot with the Marines who are fresh out of the School of Infantry, so when we start training at a squad level or higher they know how to better handle their weapons and what to do in various situations,” said Cpl. Brian Houser, a squad leader with the unit and native of Port Orange, Florida.
Marines first fired at targets from the standing, kneeling and prone positions. Once all of them were finished with static firing, they were issued more ammunition, M69 training grenades and smoke grenades for the fire-team attacks.
Starting at the individual level was necessary to make adjustments to rifle optics and build confidence in Marines’ abilities to ensure everyone would be safe and the mission would be accomplished once they were grouped together in teams.
One fire team at a time tossed a smoke grenade from their concealed position in a tree line and then steadily advanced across a field with Marines dropping to the ground and providing suppressive fire for their moving teammates.
Once a simulated bunker was in range, two Marines prepped M69 grenades and lobbed them at the bunker. Small explosions went off and the team continued progressing forward, eventually getting to a simulated tank.
A Marine with an AT-4 Anti-tank Missile Launcher prepped the weapon and then fired a tracer round at the tank. Once all targets were destroyed, the fire team leader gave each of his teammates a point of aim to hold security, a count of how much ammunition each Marine still had and if any injuries were sustained. The exercise relied on small unit leadership, allowing fire-team leaders the ability to make decisions as situations change, and ensure the mission was accomplished and all Marines were safe.
Once the fire team finished the exercise, they moved off field to discuss with the coaches areas where they excelled and where they could improve. The live-fire exercise was used to prepare Marines for future training engagements and ultimately deployments, where they will operate at squad and platoon levels.