CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan -- Marines dodge simulated enemy fire while speeding down a desert road in an attempt to complete their mission. At the same time, their leaders and evaluators place more obstacles and enemies in the way with the click of a mouse. This virtual combat may sound like science fiction, but for law enforcement Marines, it is a way to improve tactical skills without physical consequence.
More than 15 Marines with 3rd Law Enforcement Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, III MEF, used a combat convoy simulator to execute convoy tactics and techniques April 15 at Camp Hansen.
The law enforcement Marines complete this particular training at least four times a year to remain efficient in carrying out their duties.
“If we deployed tomorrow, one of our big missions would be battlefield circulation, which is moving people around the battlefield,” said Staff Sgt. Eric J. Ellenberger, a platoon sergeant with the battalion. “We’re going to provide security for those logistic units to get needed gear where it has to be, safely.”
The indoor convoy simulator has six octagon-shaped stations connected to one network. It provides an immersive training environment for vehicle operators and passengers, and gives users a 360-degree view of 3-D realistic terrain.
“There are certain things that can’t be done out on a road or in a training area,” said Ellenberger. “In the virtual simulator I can see how they react to improvised explosive devices and enemy fire. You have to learn how to communicate and how to react. I mainly want them to learn their immediate action drills, so whenever something happens they know what to do instinctively and will work as a team.”
Making training as realistic as possible is difficult at times because of safety precautions and the need to account for operational risk management, according to contractor Steve Sapien, the site supervisor of the facility. Using the simulator mitigates a number of these safety concerns.
“By using the simulator, these Marines can train and make mistakes without any fatal consequences,” said Sapien. “It’s a midway step between textbook and classroom, and the real world.”
In addition to safety, using the simulator also helps the Marine Corps financially, saving millions of dollars a year, according to Sapien.
“In real-world training, ammunition has to be purchased,” said Sapien. “The simulator keeps track of how many rounds are shot, enabling the Marines to see how much they would have spent. More money is saved when you think about the manpower hours it takes to prepare for training and gas for the vehicles used.”
The simulator can imitate various scenarios, such as daytime, nighttime and inclement weather conditions, according to Cpl. Austin T. Dodd, a military policeman with the battalion. It also can add extra elements that are not easily accessible in real-world training, helping Marines become more flexible when unexpected events occur while deployed.
“Being able to throw different scenarios at them allows me to see if they’ll properly react to something, such as a group of goats in the middle of the road,” said Dodd. “Things like that seem simple, but it’s enough to get them thinking about how to use escalation of force and the rules of engagement.”
The simulator’s scenarios kept the Marines challenged and engaged throughout the training.
“Seeing the guys shooting at us from the rooftops got my adrenaline pumping,” said Lance Cpl. Scott T. Lennon, a military policeman with the battalion. “All I could think about was what I needed to do next. For those of us who haven’t been to combat yet, it’s a good indicator of what we could encounter.”
Through this training, the military police with the battalion have shown to their leaders that they are constantly maintaining combat readiness, according to Dodd.
“Personally, I’m impressed that junior Marines can go into something like this and perform squad tactics as if it’s second nature to them,” said Dodd.