MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. --
Marines with Transportation Support Company, Combat
Logistics Battalion 2, conducted simulated High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled
Vehicle convoy training at Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 7, 2015.
The evolution was part of the three-day Convoy Leader’s
Course that is preparing motor transport operators from the unit to complete different
tasks required for effectively executing mounted patrols.
According to instructors, the
students must be prepared for possible hostile threats while conducting
convoys.
“Their primary job is getting
from point A to point B, but if something happens in between, they must know
what to do,” said Sgt. Jeffrey Gause Jr., the chief instructor with Battle
Skills Training School. “That’s where our job as instructors comes in by teaching
these Marines how to survive when it comes to combat situations.”
A typical convoy requires four to
five Marines to function properly. During operations, the driver and vehicle
commander assume the largest responsibility in terms of transporting quickly
and safely.
“The driver’s job is navigation
and is solely responsible for the truck, including maintenance and load-out
planning, while the vehicle commander takes accountability of everyone in the
truck and communicates between the other vehicles within the convoy,” Gause
said.
The vehicle commander also
operates the Blue Force Tracker, which is a global positioning system providing
precise locations of both friendly and hostile forces to a combat operations
center. A third Marine is designated as a gunner, covering a Humvee’s field of
fire with a crew-served weapon, such as an M240G or M2 .50 caliber machine gun.
Finally, one or two Marines act as dismounts, assisting the convoy by checking
for possible threats near their respective Humvee when required.
“A dismount’s job is to leave the
truck when instructed and inspect five meters around the Humvee for any
threats, specifically [improvised explosive devices]. Once the area is clear,
they post security until the gunner calls them back into the truck,” said Lance
Cpl. Ryan Leech, a motor transport operator with CLB-2 and dismount during the
training.
By cycling through the different
positions within the convoy and emphasizing the idea of small-unit leadership,
the Marines were able to better prepare themselves for an Integrated Training
Exercise later this month, which will combine logistical, aviation and ground
combat elements.
“Through leadership by example,
the Marines will do what you need them to do, which is huge when it comes to
combat situations. There’s always chaos, but it’s about how you control that
chaos,” Gause said.
“The training is beneficial because it gives us
real experience to what we could be facing,” Leech said. Doing it over and over
until it becomes second nature is what will make us successful.”