13th MEU Boat Company well on way towards SOC-specific skills
USMC News
Story Identification Number: 200334151038
Story by Sgt. Mark P. Ledesma
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.(February 24, 2003) -- As darkness blankets the horizon, the Marines from Battalion Landing Team 1/1, Boat Company, carefully make their way to the enemy's simulated camp site from the beach. Unaware of the chaos about to unravel upon them, the enemy continues with their daily routine. Suddenly, pandemonium brakes loose around the camp as the Marines unleash their arsenal on their foes. Several minutes pass and the shouting and confusion of the enemy come to a screeching halt. After assessing the damage they have caused, the Marines quickly regroup and leave the objective. Silence once again blankets the night as though nothing has happened.
The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Boat Company began its small boat raid training with Special Operations Training Group, Feb. 24, here, in preparation to qualify the MEU as Special Operations Capable for its schedule deployment later this summer.
According to Staff Sgt. Shawn C. Delgado, SOTG instructor, the boat raid training familiarizes the Marines with the Combat Rubber Raider Craft, a small, lightweight, inflatable, rugged boat Marines use in performing various raid and reconnaissance missions. The SOTG training also teaches the Marines how to move from an aquatic environment to dry land and onto their mission objective.
"In order to come to the SOTG Boat Raid Course, the Marines have to complete a number of obstacles along the way," said Delgado. "The biggest obstacle they have to complete is the Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Pacific's courses at Coronado, Ca."
There the company conducts training that specifically deals with exercises on water, said Delgado.
"When they come here to Camp Pendleton, SOTG trains the company on the land and aquatic portions of their missions," said Delgado.
According to Capt. Christian M. Rankin, commanding officer, Boat Company, the Small Boat Raid Course is part of an ongoing learning process for the staff and individual Marine in the company.
The purpose of the training is to evaluate the Company to ensure that they are qualified to carry out missions the MEU commander may task them, said Delgado.
"This training is more of an evaluation period," said Delgado. "More than likely, they are coming to us with the ability to do these missions. We put them to some pretty trying times. If they are really good, we test them even harder to see how capable they are."
During the course, SOTG instructors figure out what the unit's capabilities are and build them up to a certain ability level, according to Delgado.
"The small boat mission is tough to accomplish," said Delgado. "Of all the missions we conduct, the most time consuming are the boat missions."
A small boat unit's mission entails launching from an aquatic platform, such as a ship, and conducting an over-the-horizon transit to a beach landing site. After securing the beach, the unit then moves inland to its mission objective. After executing its mission, the Marines must quickly head back home without being detected, said Delgado.
According to Delgado, the biggest thing he emphasizes to the Marines is to not be afraid to make mistakes during the exercises.
"That's how you learn, from your mistakes," said Delgado.
According to Staff Sgt. Nicholas C. Fox, 3rd platoon sergeant, the company is fairly young.
"Within my platoon, more than 75 percent of the Marines are private first classes straight out of the School of Infantry," said Fox.
Although the Marines are new to the Corps, they are doing extremely well, said Fox.
"It's funny because you wouldn't expect that much from these young Marines, but being forced into a leadership position has made them step up. The way they are performing, you would think that they have already had a deployment under their belt."
"We are well on our way towards mastering the SOC-specific skills that we need to accomplish any MEU (SOC) directed missions," said Rankin.
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