Marine Corps Base Hawaii

POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, Hawaii -- More than 2,000 Hawaii Marines sharpened their warrior skills at the Pohakuloa Training Area, Jan. 22 through Feb. 17, for the Hawaii Combined Arms Operation 2-01 "Kona Winds" exercises.

Marines and Sailors from MCB Hawaii joined forces to form Marine Air Ground Task Force 3 during the exercise in order to better prepare for combat.

"The mission here is to train in combined arms operations and hone our skills and war fighting capabilities," said Col. R.B. Peele, commanding officer for 3rd Marine Regiment.

Marines spent the first week of their time on the Big Island sharpening their basic weapon skills.  Many different weapon systems were fired from the basic M-16A2 service rifle to the M47 Dragon.

"We have many new Marines," said Staff Sgt. Brad Bellipanni, a section leader for 81mm Mortar Platoon, Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.  "Since we don't go to Combined Arms Exercise, (at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twenty-nine Palms, Calif.) we have to make the most of this training."

As Marines improved their weapon skills, Forward Observers had to coordinate the fire power of the M29 81mm mortar and M198 155mm Howitzer to pulverize the lava rocks in the distance seconds before F-18 Hornets from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112 from Dallas, dropped 500 pound ordnance on the same target.

Another evolution during HCAO was the Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation, which tested both 1/3 and Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, on their combat readiness.

Prior to each unit going on the Unit Deployment Program, they must be evaluated.  The MCCRE not only allows the units to train and enhance their skills, Col. Peele said, but it also shows the units where they stand on combat readiness. 

Besides sending steel into an area once covered by molten rock, Marines also took the time to assist the surrounding community. 

Marines from 3rd Marine Regiment took two days out of the field to assist Kohala Elementary School, Kohala, Hawaii, in clearing an area to build a new playground. Also, on Feb. 1, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 "Red Lions" assisted the Federal Fire Department fight a brush fire.  The fire began Jan. 30, and because fire trucks could not reach the flames, CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters were employed.

The final attack, which ended not only the MCCRE, but also this HCAO was done at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows.  Nearly every Marine from Bravo Co., 1/3 was either flown or trucked into Bellows for a simulated Noncombatant Evacuation Operation.

Operational tempo will continue to be high for Hawaii Marines as they prepare for exercises like Tandem Thrust, Cobra Gold, and deployment to Okinawa, Japan, in the future.