MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- Marines assigned to 4th Force Reconnaissance Company, 4th Marine Division, here, participated in a live fire training exercise Aug. 19, at the Kaneohe Bay Range in order to get back to the fundamentals.
"We're doing combat skills and marksmanship enhancement courses today," said Gunnery Sgt. Christopher L. May, operations chief, 4th Force Reconnaissance Company. "We first let the Marines go through the basic pistol qualification course to keep them proficient with their weapons."
Once the basic qualifications are done the Marines do an advanced course, which gives them more lifelike training, said May.
"In the advanced course we shoot what is called reflective fire drills from behind barricades at lifelike targets," said Staff Sgt. Travis D. Haley, team leader, Force Recon, 4th Force Reconnaissance Company. "Most of these Marines who are doing the training just returned from Iraq so we're trying to get them back into the swing of things. It gives them a feel for working the basic fundamentals while moving on targets."
According to 32-year-old May, the most important part of the training is getting the Marines face value time.
"Most of these Marines are reservists and only come out one weekend a month, so I do all of the planning to make sure we're ready to go hot as soon as they get out here," May said.
This is some of the best training they can offer the Marines out here, said reserve Lance Cpl. Roger N. Kalkhoven, reconnaissance Marine, 4th Force Reconnaissance Company.
"We do training once a month and I always look forward to it, but I think the live fire is some of the most effective and useful training we do," said Kalkhoven, a Hilo, Hawaii, native. "We jump out of airplanes, some of the Marines scuba dive and we do a lot of raid training. We practice the live fire and raid training a lot because that's what actually counts in the type of war we're in today. Jumping out of airplanes and diving is all good training, but we won't use that as often as we will the other types if training."
The big thing for recon is to try to get the number of personnel up, said May an Oceanside, Calif. native.
"It's a great experience, and we're having a recruiting for screenings the last Wednesday of every month for lateral moves," said May.
Marines Service Record Books are first looked at to ensure the Marine is eligible. The Marine then must pass swim qualification and a Physical Fitness Test before the screening is complete, May added.
May said, Marines from any Military Occupational Specialty can attend the screening, but must meet certain guidelines set forth in the Marine Corps ALMAR 095/97, which gives all of the requirements needed to be a reconnaissance Marine as their primary MOS.
"It's very tough and vigorous training, but is also very worthwhile in the end," said May. "As of now we're very limited with recon Marines so we're trying to utilize them and their training in the best possible way."
For more information on the reconnaissance Marine screening, contact Gunnery Sgt. Christopher L. May at 257-2531, extension 221.