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New targets provide better training

US Marine Corps News

1/14/2011 By Cpl. J Nava, Marine Corps Bases Japan

CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan — Marines from units across III Marine Expeditionary Force worked together Dec. 21 and 22 to place 10 targets on Camp Hansen’s Range 2 and Camp Schwab’s Range 10.

The 13,000-pound targets, resembling combat vehicles, were placed to enhance the training value for Marines conducting exercises on these ranges, said Staff Sgt. Jeremy La Force, operations chief at Camp Hansen Range Control.

“With these targets, Marines actually have targets to engage during training, as opposed to shooting at notional vehicles,” La Force added. “It’s always better to have an actual target to engage rather than shooting at bushes or patches of dirt.”

Targets used several years ago were actual vehicles, according to La Force. The new targets were designed to better withstand shots fired from the .50-caliber Browning machine gun.

Camp Hansen Range Control coordinated the entire project, but the project’s scale required help from several different technical fields and specialties.

Landing Support Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force provided Marines on the ground to rig the targets with a special harness to get each 13,000-pound target off the ground, through the air and to its intended destination safely. At no time were the targets flown outside the training areas, said La Force.

Marines of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III MEF, provided the versatility and lifting power of one of their CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters to transport the targets.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Marines from Marine Corps Base Camp Butler provided their expertise and assisted in monitoring safety while they worked on the range.

“We basically escorted the guys out through the range so they wouldn’t step on anything (dangerous),” said Sgt. Edward Garcia, EOD technician, MCB Camp Butler. “This is why we do what we do, to keep other Marines out of harm’s way.”

As an infantry Marine by trade, La Force said he knows the true value of these targets.

“Some of the targets are exposing their broadside. Others are facing forward giving a frontal view, while some are partially behind hills and somewhat difficult to see. You’re not always going to have the enemy exposing themselves to you completely,” he said. “This is all to make the training here as realistic as possible.”