2nd Assault Amphibious Battalion faces harsh weather, enemy forces during field exercise

Marines with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion prepare to move a container from a Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement with an Assault Amphibious Vehicle-mounted crane during a week-long field exercise aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., Jan. 24, 2015. The exercise gave Marines new to the unit insight into how the battalion operates and the unit's role on deployments and in combat.

2nd Assault Amphibious Battalion faces harsh weather, enemy forces during field exercise

Marines with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion set up a communication antenna during a week-long field exercise aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., Jan 24, 2015. The unit encountered obstacles to its operations with heavy rain, low temperatures and attacks by insurgent role-players, which made constant communication more difficult and more important.

2nd Assault Amphibious Battalion faces harsh weather, enemy forces during field exercise

A Marine with 2nd Assault Amphibious Battalion scans for enemy troops after a simulated attack during a week-long field exercise aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., Jan. 24, 2015. Maintaining amphibious units is vital to the naval expeditionary nature of the Marine Corps, and maintaining the readiness and standards of every Marine ensures high performance and fast deployment capabilities.

2nd Assault Amphibious Battalion faces harsh weather, enemy forces during field exercise

Captain James Smith, an assault amphibious vehicle officer with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, runs for cover during a simulated attack during a week-long field exercise aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., Jan. 24, 2015. The Battalion faced insurgent role-players during the exercise, which simulated an on-going conflict to maintain combat readiness within the unit.

2nd Assault Amphibious Battalion faces harsh weather, enemy forces during field exercise

Assault Amphibious Vehicles with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion sit in defensive positions around the battalion command operation center during a week-long field exercise aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., Jan. 24, 2015. Assault Amphibious Vehicles have been the amphibious troop transport of the Marine Corps since they were introduced in 1972 and serve a key role in ship-to-shore and ground operations.

2nd Assault Amphibious Battalion faces harsh weather, enemy forces during field exercise

Published Jan. 29, 2015
By Lance Cpl. Sullivan Laramie
2nd Assault Amphibian BN

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- Marines with 2nd Assault Amphibious Battalion faced rain, mud and enemy attacks during a week-long battalion field exercise aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., January 22 to 28, 2015.

The exercise helped the battalion get into the swing of things after a pause in training seen by many units in the Marine Corps around the start of the New Year. The operations began with movement over water and land in the unit’s assault amphibious vehicles to train for and simulate ship-to-shore transportation.

During the exercise, the Marines encountered obstacles in their communications and logistical operations such as heavy rain and low temperatures, lending more credence to the old military saying, “If it’s not raining, we’re not training.”

“We’re getting back in the saddle after the holiday break and starting the year off with some good training,” said Cpl. Maximilian Musick, an electronic systems technician with the battalion. “We’re getting uncomfortable, cold and wet, but we’re getting the job done in spite of that.”

Attacks by insurgent role-players using blank ammunition and small explosives to simulate artillery rounds added stress to the exercise. Smoke grenades replicating chemical and biological weapons added complexity to the defensive maneuvers forcing the Marines to quickly don their M40 field protective masks to protect them from the potential threat.

A perimeter of vehicle-mounted sentries with Mk-19 automatic grenade launchers, armed logistical convoys and constant communication helped defend against such attacks. Though the grenade launchers were not used in the defensive scenarios, looking out from the turrets and understanding the angles from which they can be fired was an important step toward qualifying with the weapon systems for the newer Marines.

“If you don’t have security, you can’t operate anywhere,” said Cpl. Christopher Berneski, an AAV crewman. “You always have to be watching and aware of everything that’s going on. You have to train like you fight or you’re going to get lazy.”

Maintaining amphibious units is vital to the naval expeditionary nature of the Marine Corps, and maintaining the readiness and standards of every Marine ensures high performance and fast deployment capabilities.

“Assault amphibian battalions are absolutely important,” said 1st Lt. Andrew Dibble, the adjutant of Headquarters Company, 2nd AA Bn. “They allow Marines to get from ship to shore, establish a strong position and continue the fight. These exercises allow us to know that we can fight and deploy at any time, on really short notice.”

The exercise tested the battalion’s operations skills when operating together, which is uncommon for a unit that usually trains as individual companies and operates with infantry units.

“Training as a battalion requires the companies to be more flexible,” said Dibble. “They cannot just plan their own exercise and go execute. [The exercise] confirms that this battalion is ready to fight and win in any clime or place. It confirms that we are able to command and control ourselves and are not limited to just sending our companies out to the infantry battalions.”

This was the first training exercise of the year, and later operations will include more amphibious landings, operations with U.S. Navy ships and weapon qualifications with Mk-19s to provide a greater range of learning opportunities for Marines of all experience levels.