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QUANTICO, Va. (11/28/2011) - Notorious for getting things
done and strong leadership, sergeants have long been
referred to as the back bone of the Marine Corps.
Marines enrolled in the seven- week Sergeants Course class
1-12 completed their final field exercise at Combat Town on
Nov. 22.
Sgt. Jeffery Porter, a Marine with 4th Marine Division, New Orleans, puts rounds on the enemy during the final field exercise for Sergeants Course class 1-12 at Combat Town on Nov. 22,
2011. More than half of the squad was lost during the successful attack on the town. Photo by USMC Lance Cpl. Emmanuel Ramos
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“The course is pretty intense,” said Sgt. Michael Abelar, a
marksmanship instructor, Weapons Training Battalion, Marine
Corps Base Quantico. “It really covers every you need to
better yourself as a sergeant.”
The mission of the
Sergeants Course is to provide Marine Corps sergeants and
sergeant selects with the knowledge and skills necessary to
assume leadership roles of greater responsibility.
The course, which spends two weeks sharpening field skills
and five weeks on professional education, makes this
possible by using a curriculum that places emphasis on
leadership development and warfighting skills necessary to
lead Marines in combat.
“That's exactly what we're
teaching out here today,” said Gunnery Sgt. Nicnor Galvan, a
faculty advisor, Sergeants Course, Marine Corps University.
“We're taking them out of their norm, and putting them into
situations that force them to develop some of the skills
they may be lacking.”
During the training Marines had
to develop an avenue of approach and a scheme of maneuver
for securing their objective.
Once the plan of attack
was finalized, Sgt. Eric Chauvette, squad leader, then
briefed his five paragraph order, which covers in detail how
the mission will be carried out, to his squad using a
terrain model.
“For some of the Marines, briefing a
five paragraph order can be difficult,” Galvan said. “Some
aren't comfortable talking in front of their peers. So we
make them do it because that is the only way they get better
at it.”
With rain pouring down the day of the
exercise, the Marines began to do practice runs for
different scenarios such as enemy contact from different
positions, squad rushes and casualty evacuation.
“It's not enough for them to know what the plan is,”
Chauvette said. “They need to know how to physically respond
once we take enemy fire.”
With determined faces, the
Marines mounted their gear and began to make their way
across the slippery terrain to Combat Town in a tactical
column.
With their objective in sight, the squad
began to take heavy enemy fire. Quickly the Marines found
cover and began returning fire.
As the enemy
continued to lay suppressive fire, Marines awaited orders
from their squad leader, but overwhelmed with the situation
he could not stomach the correct orders to shout. It was at
this point that the Marines plan of attack began to fall
apart.
“My mind kind of went blank for a second,”
Chauvette said. After what seemed like hours, Chauvette
finally found the words and shouted, “Clear the first
building.”
Instantly, the Marines made their way to
the first building, but were hit with an improvised
explosive device upon opening the door taking several
casualties.
Eventually, the Marines were able to
secure the city, but lost more than half their men in the
process.
“It really came down to me not communicating
my orders clearly and quickly,” Chauvette said.
Instructors gathered the Marines and went over where their
plan had failed and ways to improve for the future.
“Communication, in the end, was the hardest thing for these
Marines,” Galvan said. “That's the hardest thing these
Marines will face in this course. Once they complete the
course they will they will have a greater awareness of what
a strong non-commissioned officer does.”
More photos available below
By USMC Lance Cpl. Emmanuel Ramos
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2011
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