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Marines stay on target with live fire training

Marine Corps News

Release Date: 6/11/2003

Story by Cpl. Michael D. Darbouze

WARRIOR BASE, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH KOREA(June 10, 2003) -- Marines of L Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division recently conducted squad live fire movement exercises on North Carolina Range during their deployment to Korea for the Korean Integrated Training Program.

KITP is a three-week combined training program involving U.S. Marines and Republic of Korea Marines. The program is designed to enhance interoperability, combat readiness and combined relations through equipment and operational familiarization training.

Staff Sgt. Christopher D. Winship, platoon sergeant, second platoon, L Company, said this training is necessary if infantrymen are to be successful when called upon.

"The mission of the Marine Corps rifle squad is to protect its country and their interests," Winship said. "In order to do this job, it is important to work as a cohesive unit. Training is one way to make sure our troops are capable of doing their job well as a team."

Cpl. Alexander A. Kovalerchik, rifleman, third platoon, L Company, said he feels more confident in himself and more comfortable with his team by doing the squad attacks.

"I feel more comfortable with firing my weapon by doing these exercises," the Baltimore native said. "It also gets me used to running with my gear through rough terrain, and I have a more realistic feel of what I might go through in combat. This training also strengthens our ability to communicate, which is very important."

Winship said the exercises help the Marines maintain and even improve the many different skills they have learned.

"Training helps to keep the Marines on their game," Winship said.

Kovalerchik said this is his second time to Korea and he is convinced that this is a great place to train.

"Korea provides some of the best live fire ranges," Kovalerchik said. "It's the CAX (Combat Arms Exercise) of Asia."

Conducting this training is a good building block for the training to come, Winship added.

"We haven't had a chance to do live fire training since our deployment to Fuji," Winship said. "The squad live fire movement gives us a chance to refresh our squad leaders and fire teams. After this training we will be moving on to the platoon live fire."

All the training that L Company and other companies participating in KITP are doing, is building up to the Battalion Field Exercise. This is when all companies, including the ROK Marines, will combine their individual strengths to overtake several objectives.