Urban combat skills addressed
S. Korean marines trained by U.S. forces at Rodriguez Range
The crack of small-arms fire filled the air at Rodriguez Range on Tuesday as troops from the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment worked with South Korean marines to sharpen their urban combat skills.
The Marines, visiting from a deployment to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit on Okinawa, were slated to be at Rodriguez Range for the duration of the Key Resolve/Foal Eagle exercises training with their counterparts from South Korea’s 2nd Marine Division.
Tuesday’s training included live-fire drills and practice clearing a series of buildings.
While clearing the buildings, Marines wore Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System gear, which uses lasers mounted on the tops of their rifles to trigger sensors worn over the clothing. When a laser hits a sensor, a piercing ring sounds.
Cpl. Matthew Dolan, L Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, said the training was needed by South Korean marines because they don’t normally train for urban operations. He said they were training the South Koreans to "refine their aggression."
"Anybody can just run into a house while being fired at," Dolan said. "But if they can harness their technique, they can do it with minimal casualties."
