MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii -- POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA -- Combat Service Support Group 3 is broken up into different areas of training, as exercises get underway here on the Big Island of Hawaii. The machinegun team, comprised of Marines from five different companies, has been firing a series of weapons to prepare itself for potential battle.
The machinegun team has practiced honing its firing skills in extreme conditions. Each member is undertaking a two-week course before shooting at PTA. Each will be taught how to field fire the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, the M250 and the MK19. Each Marine will qualify with the M240 Gulf on Range 12.
Lance Cpl. Nicholas R. Devoe, a bulk fuel specialist with Engineer Company, CSSG-3, said the hardest thing to deal with at the range is the cold weather; however, all his fellow Marines qualified.
"Pretty much everyone has their ups and downs out here, but you can really tell that everyone is putting out and trying their hardest," said Devoe. "I'm so happy I got to do this because I'll be able to teach my Marines the same thing one day."
Gunnery Sgt. William Chambliss, the Rear Area Operations Center chief for CSSG-3, said the point of the whole training revolution is to build confidence and improve basic skills with a machinegun.
"It's good to get everyone behind any one of these and get them to hit their target, said Chambliss. "You can see them get more confident and skilled with their firing."
After the team concludes on the range, it will return to the main camp at PTA for the remainder of the Hawaii Combined Arms Exercise.
The CSSG-3 Marines will resume their duties as before, but be much more capable of defending this country and/or global missions if that time should arise.