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Air support squadron updates urban warfare capabilities

US Marine Corps News

9/8/2010
By 1st Lt. James B. Holderbaum, Marine Corps Bases Japan

CAMP FUJI, Japan -- Marines from Marine Air Support Squadron 2, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, recently deployed to Camp Fuji at the base of Mount Fuji, Japan. The ten-day training evolution was designed to fulfill the Marine Corps' Basic Skills Training requirement; refresh the Marines in the fundamentals of urban warfare and re-familiarize Marines with the capabilities and limitations of the various weapons systems used.

For the first two days the Marines pushed through the intense humidity to build over 100 targets and fill 1,000 sandbags for use during the exercise. As training ensued, the Marines received instruction on the M9 service pistol, M-1014 Benelli shotgun, M16A4 service rifle, M4 service rifle, M240B machine gun, M2 .50-caliber machine gun, M203 grenade launcher, M67 fragmentation grenade, and the Special Effects Small Arms Marking System.

MASS-2 concluded training at the Japanese Self Defense Force's Military Operations in Urban Terrain facility.

SSgt. Hinkhouse, MASS-2's supply chief and former combat arms training instructor, provided the Marines a refresher in tactics and procedures executed in an urban environment. The Marines learned tactics such as clearing rooms and urban patrolling. In practical application, the Marines trained against each other with non-lethal 9mm paint rounds.

"It was fun, and at the same time very educational with a lot of useful information about urban warfare," said LCpl. Brady Maxon, air support net operator, MASS-2.

After the training evolution in MOUT town, the Marines headed back to Camp Fuji for a "Warrior Dinner" and rest before the culminating climb up Mount Fuji.

The Marines started up the 12,388-foot mountain along the Subashiriguchi Trail, one of five different trails on the mountain. Most of the Marines opted to buy the climbing stick which MASS-2's air support control officer, 1st Lt. Lawrence T. Parker, described as "a real lifesaver during the last thousand meters up -- you get tired after a while."

At each of the stations up the mountain, Marines could purchase a stamp which was branded into the wood of the stick.

All the Marines walked away from the mountain in good spirits and with several blisters.

In the end, the training and experiences the Marines gained from the evolution was meant to foster a stronger Esprit de Corps and to give each Marine a memory that is not easily forgotten.

"It was a good opportunity to get the Marines in the field to interact with each other outside of the workplace and focus on training such as basic rifleman skills," said Captain Matthew P. Lavalle, weapons and tactics training program officer, MASS-2.