• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

BSTS keeps 2nd MLG ready for the fight

US Marine Corps News

9/10/2010
By Pfc. Franklin E. Mercado, 2nd Marine Logistics Group

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- Deploying to Afghanistan requires a great deal of training for U.S. Marines and their attached Navy personnel. Subjects like how to operate on convoys, patrols and other combat situations must be instilled in a war fighter’s brain prior to participating in missions like those experienced in Operation Enduring Freedom.

For Marines and sailors with the 2nd Marine Logistics Group this process has been streamlined by the Battle Skills Training School at Camp Lejeune since the 1980s.

The School offers several courses to help service members before deploying to forward operating environments. These courses include the Battle Skills, Machine Gun Assistant Instructor, and Convoy Leaders courses.

With the three courses running simultaneously throughout the duration of the year, it is normal for the classes to contain anywhere from 70 to 100 Marines and sailors at one time.

The Battle Skills course is a ten-day training regiment which consists of seven days of classes and practical application on basic Marine Corps combat skill, culminating with a three day field exercise. The class covers most of the pre-deployment training courses needed to deploy.

“They run convoys. They run patrols. They practice quick reaction force scenarios, the whole nine yards,” said Cpl. Richard J. Googe, an instructor at BSTS.

The other two courses provide advanced targeted training on machine guns and convoy operations.

During the Machine Gun Assistant Instructor course Marines are taught everything there is to know about machine guns and their components. Machine guns are the main source of defense on convoys.

The Convoy Leaders course simulates convoy operations, and places students in a leadership position where their decisions will have an effect on the entire group.

“BSTS is a good way for these Marines and sailors to familiarize themselves with these weapons systems and other things they may have forgotten about since they’ve been [at Camp Lejeune],” said Staff Sgt. Daniel Jimenez, an instructor at BSTS. “And along with that, it builds unit cohesion as they take on the many challenges they face during the training.”

With the Marine Corps constantly evolving, and more and more skill sets being required for Marines to master, it’s necessary for them to receive refresher courses in the core skills taught early on in military combat training.

“I didn’t realize how much I had forgotten till we started classes,” said Pfc. Matt Messer, a motor transport operator with Transport Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 8. “Even as we learn things and go through the classes, I’m having fun here.”

He also explained that the hands-on nature of BSTS helped a lot of students retain the knowledge taught.

Getting ready for a deployment to anywhere in the world is no simple task. BSTS continuously prepares Marines and sailors within the 2nd MLG to bridge the gap from a garrison to a combat mindset.