MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Kaneohe Bay -- Once the command to begin was received, a team of four Marines took only seconds to reach a seemingly empty building with their M16-A2 service rifles ready for action. When they reached the building, their reaction skills were tested by a number of hidden simulated targets.
Nearly 110 Marines from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment, spent the week of April 5 brushing up on their expertise in Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) environments here. MOUT training, specifically the MOUT Assault Course (MAC) was the third obstacle Marines faced during a three-day training cycle.
The first two days of training tired the "Lava Dogs" out. At the rappel tower, they qualified for the fast rope, then successfully completed a day and night Navigation Course through Schofield's east ranges.
On the third day - despite the fact that their patience and drive were getting completely dulled by lack of sleep, days of Meals Ready to Eat, and the thought of what was to still come - Charlie Company pushed through exhaustion and focused on its final and most dangerous training obstacle: destroying a building full of enemy targets in groups of four team members with fully loaded rifles.
"We ran at least six to seven dry runs through the course before we put any ammunition into our weapons," said Lance Cpl. Ronald W. Potter, squad leader for 3rd Platoon. "We had to make sure we could run through the course perfectly before we tried it with live rounds."
At least seven new Marines were in each of the three platoons that make up Charlie Co. This was the first group of new Marines Charlie Company had received in more than two years, which heightened the chance of mistakes during the exercise.
After the dry runs, Marines appeared comfortable with their ability to maneuver through the MAC buildings without anyone getting injured. Then the real test began.
"It tested my nerves as a squad leader because if something went wrong with one of my team members it was, in all actuality, my fault," said Potter.
Each platoon's individual teams executed skill and precision through the various building structures.
Once the entire company accomplished its goals - making it through the MAC with next to no mistakes and no injuries - a sigh of relief was breathed.
"The best part of the three days was seeing the new Marines making it through all the hard parts," said Potter, "especially the live-fire through the MAC course. Making it through that was a real accomplishment for each one of them."