9th Engineer Support Battalion 'tools up' for endurance challenge
Marine Corps News
Release Date: 5/17/2004
Story by Cpl. Ryan D. Libbert
CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan (April 30, 2004) -- On the battlefields of the modern world, combat engineers are expected to search for mines, build bridges, and assist ground forces in overcoming natural and man-made obstacles. However, Marines with 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Force Service Support Group, switched roles April 30 by leaving their tools in storage and picking up rifles, machineguns and grenades.
More than 120 Marines with 9th ESB took part in a combat endurance challenge at Camp Hansen April 30. During the challenge the Marines were tasked with running a five-kilometer course garbed in camouflage utilities, helmets, flak jackets, and load bearing vests while carrying either an M16A2 service rifle or an M240G medium machinegun.
"The course encompasses a lot of things these Marines are required to do for annual training," said Master Sgt. David W. Prutz, training chief. "These Marines will be tested in the fields of basic marksmanship, nuclear, biological and chemical defense, physical fitness, ethics and troop leadership."
The Marines were broken down into teams of six with at least 20 Marines per team. Each team carried two machineguns and started their trek at a running pace to various firing ranges.
The teams were tasked to achieve their battle sight zero (BZO) on their rifles at the first range they arrived at. Another kilometer up the path, the teams took part in a live-fire exercise where the machinegun teams practiced firing at multiple targets. Once they finished with the machinegun exercise, the Marines ran to their final range of the course where they each took turns throwing grenades.
The final leg of the course required the Marines to run to the gas chamber where they conducted their annual NBC training.
"The Marines get competitive in things like this. They each try to be the team that comes in first," Prutz said. "This also gives them a taste of training for a combat environment."
The battalion did not conduct the course without proper safety regulators in place. More than 50 other service members from the battalion were involved as safety corpsmen, road guards, motor transport drivers, range safety officers and radio operators.
Once the Marines were finished with the course, their exhausted and gas-soaked frames still etched out smiles.
"I'm glad it's over with. It was tough but I think it was a good example of what Marines can do once they put their minds to it," said Cpl. Jason S. Carmichael, motor transport operator. "It made me think about what Marines in the infantry have to do to prepare for war."
This was the second year the battalion conducted this course. It has become a source of motivation and confidence to the Marines of 9th ESB.
"We spend a lot of our time supporting other units. We don't normally get to do training like this," Prutz concluded. "This training doesn't have anything to do with being an engineer, it has everything to do with being a Marine."
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