Training Continues Nine Years After Operation Enduring Freedom

For fifteen days, 5,000 Marines will spend their time in the high desert taking part in Steel Knight.

KESQ TV’s crew was embedded with part of the 1st Marine Division. They will take part in different operations in the live-fire combat zone.

The first training mission is 2 1/2 hours away from Wilson Base at the Quackenbush combat zone, where troops are deployed to take out the enemy north of the command center. The Marines are training for situations they would likely face in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“This type of training is effective to make sure we have the communication in place and can effectively fire,” said Maj. Burke Eltrigham with the 3rd Battalion 11th Marines, while in the command center.

The Marines start firing Howister rounds. They send 12 of them more than 5 miles away. It takes them 22 seconds to impact the target. The training is as realistic as it gets.

The Marines camp out for 15 days straight. The surroundings are similar to what Marines will see in Iraq and Afghanistan. A lot of time is spent on communication and relocation. The Marines said new, lighter equipment allows them to move quicker.

“It makes us more responsive, it allows us to get rounds down range faster,”said Captain Eric Williams, a Marine Battery Commander.

As soon as the mission in the Quackenbush combat zone was complete, it was a 2 1/2-hour convoy to the live-fire range 500 in a different combat zone. Along the way, the Marines reacted to a staged convoy attack. The vehicles lined up in formation and started to fire.

“The reason why we spread them out is so there’s no friendly fire. Right now, there’s not chance of us shooting each other,” said Sgt. Shane Cell.

The Marine gunners start to hit targets thousands of meters away. They are using high-powered 50-caliber machine guns. While there are 5,000 Marines canvassing a vast area of more than 950 square miles, safety is always a priority.

“Safety is paramount,” said Cell. “We position ourselves and do all the right steps to make sure nothing goes wrong.”