Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C. -- Marines with sniper platoon, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, performed in a Battalion Landing Team exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Aug. 8-15, 2011.
The exercise consisted of basic patrolling, communications, MAGTF (Marine Air-Ground Task Force) Secondary Imagery Dissemination System, or MSIDS, and a planned live fire range at the end of the week.
“It’s good training for the Marines we’re sending to sniper school and it’s a good refresher for those that have already been,” said 2nd Lt. Douglas B. Rendall the Scout Sniper Platoon Commander. “We came to the field this week with LAR (Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion) to work together since we will be deploying together on the 24th MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit).”
The upcoming scout snipers have been performing exercises and drills such as stalks and land navigation to prepare them for sniper school, but the Marines enjoy the live fire ranges the best.
“Training with the sniper platoon is great. I really enjoy the stalking and land navigation, but the live fire ranges when we actually shoot the rifle are the best,” said Lance Cpl. Tim M. Beavers, a scout with the platoon. “I like shooting the long guns like the M140, M110 and .50-cal.”
The last training exercise for the week was to perform a live fire range with the M110 and .50-cal. sniper rifles. Though the snipers did not get a chance to fire that day, the Marines were still happy with the training they received.
“We didn’t get a chance to shoot, but that’s ok since we have great leadership that is training us for combet,” said Lance Cpl. Doug J. Cairns, a scout with the platoon. “And that’s what is most important is being prepared for combat.”