Instructors with Training Company, Marine Corps Security Force Regiment, held night-time weapons qualification training Feb. 23 as part of a seven-week Close Quarters Battle course for Security Force Marines aboard Naval Support Activity Northwest Annex, Chesapeake, Va.
During the training, CQB instructors taught 16 students advanced weapons manipulation with the M4 A1 carbine and the M9 service pistol, as well as breaching tactics under severe stress situations
“Right now they are going through night qualifications,” said Sgt. Esteban Gutierrez, a CQB instructor Training Co., MCSFR. “It’s to ensure their safety when they start going into the houses. There are some situations where they are going to enter a building and there may be low light or no light, so that is what this night fire is going to encompass in actually being able to engage a threat.”
Sgt. Trey Woodward, also a CQB instructor, said that in most high stress situations a person’s ability to remain aware and make decisions despite distractions can be difficult.
“The overall goal is to instruct Marines on how to conduct tactical operations within tight enclosures,” said Woodward. “For example, room clearing tactics and teamwork within an enclosure while making sure that the student is preserving his life while also preserving and protecting his buddy’s life.”
During the exercise, the Marines practiced force-on-force scenarios, which allowed them to apply what they have learned in the areas of rules of engagement, responding to hostile action or intent, and hostage recovery.
According to Woodward, instructors utilize hands-on as well as one-on-one instruction during practice trials to develop skills essential to the future missions of these Marines.
“If they are 18 and 19 years old, and they have very minimal experience with weapons manipulation, it can prove to be a little bit difficult and stressful,” said Woodward. “This is why we have a lot of one-on-one interaction with the students and we conduct lots of dry fire before we go live. That way when they actually make “condition one” on the firing line, they are pretty familiar with what they need to do and how they need to do it safely.”
According to Woodward, the extensive nature of the training will also better prepare the student Marines to develop their careers in the fleet and even as a civilian.
“When I come to work every single day, whether we are teaching interior tactics to [Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team] Marines or we are teaching CQB to [Recapture Tactics Team] Marines, I come here with the mindset that they are not only going to take these tactical fundamentals back to their commands, but if they decide to get out, these skillsets are going to translate into both worlds, one way or another,” said Woodward.
Following the course, the Marines who successfully complete it will be assigned to one of two battalions under Marine Corps Security Force Regiment, which include Marine Corps Security Force Battalions Bangor, Wa., and Kings Bay, Ga., to utilize their new skillset of close-quarters battle tactics in support of their specific command mission.
For more news on MCSFR, visit http://www.mcsfr.marines.mil.