Crisis response Marines, Army execute joint capabilities

US Marine Corps News

By Sgt. Tia Nagle | April 29, 2016

U.S. Marines and soldiers met during a training exercise in Germany to defeat enemy combatants fighting from inside city buildings and houses, April 7-13, 2016.

This joint training exercise gave the Marines an opportunity to pick up and hone essential training techniques with the Army unit composed primarily of Special Forces soldiers. Aspects of urban warfare such as shooting around barriers and firing on the move were focused on by the crisis response forces.

"I think it was good [training] especially the barriers and weak side shooting because if we were actually going to combat, that's something that there's a high possibility of us doing," said Sgt. Ryan Cyrus, first squad leader with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.

As a culminating event, the Marines worked side by side with the CRF soldiers to clear out an abandoned housing area and seize an enemy target. The training helped build proficiency and capability among participants in executing their crisis response mission sets.

"It was good hands on experience getting to throw flash bangs and actually use [simunition] rounds which was definitely the type of training the Marine Corps loves getting involved in," said Lance Cpl. Michael Battaglia, a team leader with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.