MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- Marines and their family members with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, gathered at Boondocker Training Area to participate in Jane Wayne Day Oct., 18, 2013.
Jane Wayne Day provides an opportunity for family members to step into the boots of their Marines and gain hands-on experience with modified Marine Corps-based activities such as drill, operating weapons, viewing Marine Corps Martial Arts Program demonstrations and executing portions of the leadership reaction course.
Marines with 2nd Bn., 3rd Marines, set up stations throughout the training area, where they directed each group of family members on what to do at each station.
“The Marines in 2nd Bn., 3rd Marines, are leaving on their deployment to Okinawa in December,” said Hillary Sutherland, the family readiness officer for the battalion. “This allows for all the spouses to get acquainted before (their Marines) all leave.”
At the MCMAP station, family members learned a variety of moves from instructors pulled from the curriculum of an assortment of belts. Instructors demonstrated several kicks, strikes and takedowns during the period of instruction.
Participating spouses had the chance to suit up in Instrumented-Tactical Engagement Simulation Systems. The I-TESS is a man-worn detection system with sensors located on various parts of the body. The participants then used blank 5.56-mm ammunition and laser transmitters attached to their weapons to carry out tactical missions in the training area’s Military Operations on Urban Terrain town. This exercise was included to give participants the realistic feeling of urban warfare while combatants were firing at them.
As a part of their “training," family members performed ammunition can lifts, the movement to contact and the maneuver under fire portion of the Combat Fitness Test. Marines directed each person through the course and timed them for a score.
“Not only are the family members enjoying themselves today but all the Marines here are really having fun watching their family members experience training they do all the time,” Sutherland said.
Participants learned how to perform several drill moves. They diligently executed commands like “about face,” “attention,” and “left oblique.” This portion of the day also included standing at attention for five minutes to help them understand what it is like to be at attention for up to an hour.
Lastly, before heading to the Kaneohe Bay Range Training Facility to conduct a live-fire exercise, was the leadership reaction course. This station tested the spouse’s teamwork skills and how they worked together to accomplish a goal. Each team received a task and had to work as a team to complete each portion of the course.
“It’s interesting to watch each group,” said Cpl. Liam Lamarine, a fire team leader with weapons platoon, Echo Company, 2nd Bn., 3rd Marines and 24-year-old native of Goffstown, N.H. “I think everyone has enjoyed the opportunity to participate in everything out here today.”
For lunch, the families were given pre-packaged Meals, Ready to Eat to experience what their Marines eat during training and deployment.
After MRE’s were consumed, the family members were also able to shoot the M4 carbine rifle and the M27 infantry automatic rifle. They lined up on the 500-yard line and fired rounds downrange for the rest of the Jane Wayne Day. After all the rounds were shot, everyone packed up and the event was concluded.
“This is one of the biggest events we have during the year,” Sutherland said. “Everyone is already asking me when the next one is. I don’t know exactly when the next one is but I can promise this won’t be the last Jane Wayne Day.”