CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- The I Marine Expeditionary Force, Special Operations Training Group, recently conducted a training exercise for 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines aboard Camp Pendleton, to prepare them for a future deployment.
The I Marine Expeditionary Force, Special Operations Training Group orchestrated a training exercise for Marines from Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan 28.
SOTG is preparing Weapons Company, 3/5, to join the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit as the battalion landing team. SOTG plays an integral part in preparing Marines for deployment by sharpening skills required in today’s global environment by providing scenarios and performance based evaluations.
The raids branch of the training group focuses on realism in the execution of their training. This realistic approach is important because the Marine Corps has performed this capability in the real world as recently as 2011 when the 26th MEU rescued a downed American pilot during the civil war in Libya.
“We try and make this training as realistic as possible in every aspect down to the casualties we simulate,” said, petty officer 1st Class Marshall Loria, hospital corpsman and lead petty officer with SOTG. “They evacuated the casualties and got out of there in a timely manner. Overall they did pretty well.”
One of battalion landing team’s auxiliary missions is to be prepared to conduct TRAP missions at a moments notice. The training is not the typical formal classroom instruction method but rather an active evaluation of skills and knowledge of the Marines of 3/5.
Weapons Company’s typical mission set is to provide indirect fire support to rifleman in close combat. However, TRAP is something outside of their basic skill set and this type of training not only familiarizes them but makes them proficient, said Staff Sgt. Bradley Blevins, 81’s platoon section leader, 3/5.
“When we start working outside of what we do on a normal basis it sets us up for success with the lessons learned,” explained Blevins. “They throw us into several different scenarios to help us refine our standard operating procedures.”
SOTG’s aim is to refine and sharpen the Marines skill as a TRAP force in support of the 31st MEU.