RIMBA AIR BASE, Brunei -- At an abandoned building with a tree growing from the roof’s rain gutter and grass breaking cracks through concrete floors, Marines introduced a tactic in warfare, new to soldiers from the Royal Brunei Landing Force – Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT).
More than 45 Marines from the Landing Force participating in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Brunei 2010 came here May 3-7, to train with and teach soldiers from the RBLF.
The training exercise was an opportunity for Marines to teach the RBLF soldiers about MOUT, fundamentals in mechanical breaching of doors, windows and other entrances and to maintain a working relationship for future operations.
“For me and as a unit of the Royal Brunei Landing Force, while practicing MOUT, we haven’t set up our own tactics,” said 2nd Lt. Ali Saufi Ali Safiam, 8th Platoon commander, Company C, 1st Battalion, RBLF. “So this is a chance to learn something and progress on it. I haven’t seen my men this excited. There is a lot of concentration of fighting in an urban environment, so this is a good step for our forces.”
During the week, Marines taught soldiers of the RBLF how to correctly enter a room and clear it. The first days were conducted without ammunition, allowing the RBLF soldiers to become comfortable with the fundamentals. The last day culminated the MOUT training with smoke grenades, flash bangs and blank rounds to make the training more realistic, as both Marines and RBLF soldiers cleared the abandoned building.
Also included during the week was the proper setup and execution of vehicle check points, as well as cordon and search of a possibly hostile area.
“I like that the RBLF soldiers are eager to learn,” said Sgt. Jason Shaffer, 3rd Platoon sergeant, Company A, native of Kalamazoo, Mich. “They want to learn, they ask questions about how to do things the right way and that shows me they are eager. During the training I learn how they operate. I learn how they communicate with each other during an operation.”
Mechanical breaching of entrances to the building was also demonstrated and taught during the week by the Marines of the Combat Engineer Platoon. The soldiers of RBLF were able to use breaching equipment, provided by the Marine Combat Engineer Platoon, and practiced the right techniques of breaching doors, windows and other means of entrance.
Throughout the training, Marines and RBLF soldiers melded as a fighting force and built personal friendships.
“It’s a very good exercise,” said Pvt. Azmain Amzar, infantryman, Company C, RBLF. “You come here and we have good instructors. We can be friends. You only came for a week, I wish it was longer.”
Marines and RBLF soldiers were also able to exchange knowledge about gear they use.
“We are honored by your cooperation and teaching us here and helping us better ourselves as a force,” Ali Safiam said. “We love to learn something new – all the tactics, and it is always good to get to know each other’s forces.”