MARINE CORPS TRAINING AREA BELLOWS, Hawaii -- Marines with the reserve 4th Force Reconnaissance Company completed their two-week annual training at the Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, July 18, 2013.
The annual training is an evaluation of how efficiently the Marines will perform their duty in combat. As reserve Marines, they have limited opportunities to practice engagements in combat scenarios.
“Although we may only train like this once a year, I think everyone involved learns a lot and understands how important it is,” said Cpl. Jeffrey Lee, 24, weapons custodian, 4th Force Reconnaissance Company, and a native of Hercules, Calif. “We all get to see where we are as a company and improve in areas that need work.”
A major portion of the training started late at night, when three separate teams of Marines rode in small Zodiac, a small rubber boat, with hand-steered engines in front of the beach landing zone on Bellows. Before the recon Marines could land, swimmers went ahead as scouts to check for obstacles on the beach. Once landed, the Marines moved stealthily through the heavy wooded area to the objective viewing positions, to gather information and send it back to headquarters for analysis.
The Marines sent pictures and messages to headquarters while constantly staying in communication with the forward operating base. This gave a consistent data flow to every Marine, giving them insight on the area.
Every supporting unit within the company did their job to make sure the reconnaissance Marines had everything they needed to gather appropriate intelligence, stay undetected and exit the area.
Marines back at the headquarters element recorded data from the recon Marines and decided the next course of action.
“Our goal is to stay proficient in everything we do, for me that is keeping good communication with the Marines in the field, said Cpl. Joshua Talley, 25, radio chief, 4th Force Reconnaissance Company and native of Fairfield, Calif. “If we don’t do our job, the whole mission would be lost.”
The information gathered from the Marines out in the field helped to tell where infantry patrols needed to be placed. Squads of Marines patrolled all over the training area looking for improvised explosive devices, enemy and anything the recon Marines reported to be a high target of interest.
Patrols entered the Military Operations in Urban Terrain Facility with role players simulating local population in the scenario. Marines had to analyze the civilians to locate threats. Marines learned the proper steps of disarming and detaining the threats found.
After the training at Bellows Fourth Force Recon Company traveled back to Alameda Calif., where the reserve unit is stationed.