Marine Corps Base Hawaii -- Demonstrating their fire and maneuver skills while displaying their military pride, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 wives stepped into their husbands’ boots and took on some of the same training Marines complete. Thirty wives received a little taste of what it is like to be a United State Marine after participating in HMLA-367’s first Jane Wayne Day, April 26.
Jane Wayne Day is dedicated to military spouses to offer them the opportunity to become a service member for a day. It allows them to participate in Marine-style challenges, but in a fun way.
“It helps them understand a little more what it means to be a Marine,” said Capt. Joshua Gordon, the human affairs officer at HMLA-367. “They get to see and do some of the things Marines do.”
Starting their day in Hangar 101, the newly dubbed “Janes” boarded the bus and traveled to the humvee simulation course. Inside, they separated into different rooms with a humvee surrounded by projectors that portrayed a desert environment with villages, roads and enemy combatants. The different humvees synced up with each other across every room, allowing one group of Janes to see what another group of Janes were doing in a virtual reality.
After driving humvees around a virtual desert, they went to the obstacle course at Landing Zone Boondocker to get a glimpse at how physically fit Marines are by doing the course themselves. Before beginning the obstacle course, they were given a demonstration on how to complete each obstacle, spurring statements of doubt as they watched.
Inching their way over the obstacle bars and jumping over multiple wooden hurdles, the wives made their way toward the end of the course. They completed 10 obstacles with a final stop at the rope, where they climbed 15 feet. Tired, sweaty and sore, the spouses cheered each other on and handed out water to their fellow Janes after completing the course.
“I wanted to get a sneak peek into what Marines do,” said Sarena Yoder, the spouse of an HMLA-367 Marine. “The obstacle course was a lot harder than it looks.”
Priscilla Tuck, the spouse of an HMLA-367 Marine, said: “I really loved the obstacle course. I read about it in the Marines Times, and I’ve wanted to do it ever since.”
After completion of the obstacle course, the women assembled near a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program training pit where they were given instructions executing proper MCMAP techniques. Before practicing the techniques, they watched as the instructors demonstrated MCMAP techniques used in hand-to-hand combat.
“Scarface is a close family,” Gordon said. “These events help the Marines and their spouses become stronger together.”
Heading into the last part of their day in their spouses’ boots, the Janes traveled to the base range where they learned how to shoot an M240B medium machine gun. While sending bullets down range, they experienced the recoil and power brought on by the weapon.
By the end of Jane Wayne Day, the 30 military spouses got a taste of driving humvees, navigating through obstacles, fighting in hand-to-hand combat and firing machine guns. Each of them left their homes as ordinary women and returned as a newly minted Jane Wayne.