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'The Big E' goes down under

Marine Corps News

Release Date: 7/11/2003

Story by Lance Cpl. Elliot T. Anderson

LAVARACK BARRACKS, Australia(July 11, 2003) -- LAVARACK BARRACKS, Australia - A roar of two Australian C-130s, Echo Co, "the Big E" of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines based out of MCB Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, took off towards its destination.

After an eighteen hour flight with a stopover at Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Big E, with Marines attached from Weapons Company and H&S Company arrived in Townsville, Australia.

After passing through a rigorous customs process, "the Big E" billeted on-board the Australian Army's Lavarack Barracks. From there, it embarked on a month-long training schedule in conjunction with 1st Royal Australian Regiment, 2nd Australian Regiment, and 3 Troop, Bravo Squadron, 3rd Cavalry.

The first days of training were focused on receiving in-briefs and training with the Australian F88 Styre.

Before starting training with the F88, the company participated in "Battle Physical Training."

Battle PT is designed to make the company work as a team. If commands from the Aussie "PT Instructor" were not carried out fast enough, the entire company was made to get on their faces and do push-ups. The Big E had absolutely no problem at all in accomplishing this task.

Once "Battle P.T." was completed, training was focused on immediate action drills and weapons handling with the F88. Then, after a barbecue thrown by the Australians, the Marines went out on some eagerly awaited and well-deserved liberty.

Once the Marines returned from their liberty, Echo Company resumed work and went to the Weapons Training Simulation System, the Australian version of the Marine Corps' Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer.

While there, the Marines shot the Australian rifle qualification range.

Following the WTSS training, the company's mortar and assault sections along with Javelin attachments split from the rest of the company. Those marines then conducted training with the 2nd Royal Australian Regiment at High Range Training Area, one of Australian's premier live fire training facilities.

The Marines were able to watch a Mechanized Infantry combined armed exercise complete with support from machine guns, mortars, snipers, and danger close artillery.

According to Cpl. John O`Neal, an assault section leader who is on his last exercise with Echo, the attack was like a sea of red tracers.

"It was a great way to end my tour with the Marine Corps," said O'Neal.

Meanwhile, the rest of the company was at Mount Stewart Training Area, Lavarack Barracks' own backyard training facility.

During that time the Marines used the Australian ranges for a number of different activities.

Highlights during the week included battle sight zeros with the F88 and M-16, and an introduction to the M9 pistol. They also had a pointman course at night as well as day, squad attacks; rappelling; and at the end of the week a live fire Australian rifle qualification course.

"We are actually doing a lot of varied training. This is an opportunity we do not receive often," said Cpl. John Schoemer, a squad leader for 1st platoon with Echo Co., 2/3.

In the first week of training "the Big E" has accomplished a lot and will press on with its rigorous schedule in the following weeks.