MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, North Carolina -- Marines with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Kilo Company conduct a non-lethal weapons course aboard Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, July 14-17, 2016.
Throughout the course they learned about various take-down techniques utilizing a police baton, riot-control formations and tactics, as well as the function and result of using a taser.
“If there’s any situation that escalates, we go in and we control the people there”, said Cpl. Garrett Konecny, a team leader with 3/2.“During a riot situation, we look for the key leader because if you can control him, you can control the whole riot. We do that by using numerous types of non-lethal weapons and riot-control tactics. Also our presence can usually deescalate the situation.”
From the classroom to practical application, the Marines began by applying what they learned on each other. After they applied their techniques on a group of notional protestors attempting to break past their shields.
To finalize their course, the Marines had to endure the pain of the non-lethal weapons they were trained on, like experiencing the feeling of over 1,000 volts by getting tazed. This allowed them to fully understand the capabilities of non-lethal weapons, which will better prepare them if a situation were to present itself.
“The primary mission for riot control is for any Marine to know the fundamentals if they are ever called to respond to a riot or a group of protesters”, said Cpl. Matthew Roberts, a non-lethal weapons instructor with 2nd Law Enforcement Battalion. “This training will allow these Marines to correctly engage and correctly subdue that group of protesters and accomplish the mission.”
Marines leave this course confident with the ability to properly perform riot control formations, safely take down a threat using the various submissions techniques and can safely and confidently utilize a taser to stun a target.
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