FORT A.P. HILL, Va. -- Marines from 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, honed their firing skills with the Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon during a training exercise here Dec. 1.
Section leaders coached the Marines on basic SMAW employment techniques within an assault team, said Staff Sgt. Jerome Owens, platoon sergeant, 2nd Platoon, Company I, and range safety officer for the exercise.
“Section leaders (corporals and lance corporals), who’ve served a second or third tour in Iraq, trained the Marines recently out of (the School of Infantry),” Owens said. “The training is mainly for junior Marines in SMAW familiarization.”
Before live firing began, assaultmen rotated through three stations and gained knowledge from section leaders on technical aspects of the SMAW and how it is utilized in combat.
At station one, assaultmen reviewed assembly, disassembly and weapon function check of the portable, anti-armor rocket launcher. In essence of Marine character, they quickly turned the period of instruction into a speed competition. The assaultmen challenged each other to complete the process in less than a minute.
As assaultmen switched stations, section leaders at station two shared their combat experiences and talked about enemy engagements using the SMAW in Iraq. Section leaders explained how often it would be used on patrols and effective points to fire on buildings and vehicles.
Section leaders at the third station taught assaultmen how to draw range cards for long distance firing.
“Every operating post in a combat zone has a range card and drawing key terrains helps distinguish sectors of fire for future enemy engagements,” said Cpl. John Arnett, section leader, Company L.
Each company began live firing with a foot patrol followed by mock enemy contact. Individually, section leaders gave commands to each squad, formed a firing line and described enemy positions, distances, and ordered subsequent action to SMAW operators through a call-and-response method.
SMAW operators worked in two-man teams and spoke through their actions before firing practice rounds; a thunderous explosion followed from the high-explosive rounds.
“Back blast area all secure … Rocket!” each assaultman shouted before he sent the round down range at an old, burnt tank 500 meters away, which tested the SMAW’s maximum effective range.
The assaultmen fired 16 total rounds, including five high-explosive, to complete the exercise, and their firing improved throughout the day, said 2nd Lt. Michael J. Piche, range officer-in-charge and platoon commander, 4th Platoon, Weapons Company.
The firing exercise inspired more than just the younger assaultmen, as Arnett described it as one of the best he’s ever done.
“The way it was run, (leaders) gave us time to do our own thing (teaching) the guys,” Arnett said. “You could tell the confidence level was high, which made it easier for them to fire.”
The exercise ended with more Marine-like competition amongst the companies. Just for fun, the best shooters from each company competed with practice rounds on the targeted tank, while the other Marines provided heckles and verbal distractions.
After all the rounds made it downrange, Piche named Company K’s assaultmen the winners of the bragging rights.