MCB Quantico --
Lock and load! Melissa Twist, wife of a
British Foreign Liaison Officer assumed the prone position with M249 light
machine gun in her right arm. The butt stock firmly pressed against her
shoulder and right hand wrapped around the pistol grip.
This year’s annual
John and Jane Wayne day started off with the Virtual Combat Convoy Training
simulation and Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer and then moved on to a
shooting range where spouses fired live rounds of a M249 light machine gun.
“I’ve
attended this event before previously and thought it would be fun doing it
again,” said Twist. “At a previous John and Jane Wayne Day, I won at a shooting
match while competing for score. The John and Jane Wayne events are fun because
they are a nice break from my routine schedule,” Twist continued.
The cold and
drizzling weather did not stop these spouses from training and firing weapons.
At 7:30 a.m., spouses went to Camp Upshur and met with VCCT training
instructors to receive training on conducting a convoy mission.
Spouses also got a
taste of how Marines in the field fueled themselves by eating MREs.
The VCCT was not
only fun and games, spouses learned about the responsibilities of driving
through hazardous territory, communicating through radio, and shooting
proficiently with a variety of weapons. With the combination of these roles,
the spouses quickly learned how to operate as a real convoy unit.
After the VCCT
simulation, spouses were sent to the ISMT to do more simulated training. During
the ISMT, spouses focused more on precision shooting and instead of a desert
atmosphere, spouses fired in a woodland environment.
These spouses
weren’t only married to enlisted or officer personnel, many were married to
contractors, veterans and international military personnel working abroad
Quantico.
With a diverse
group, the dynamics allowed spouses to learn about each of their husbands
professional careers and allowed them to delve deep into the unique pathways of
the military.
Clara Teo, wife of
a Singaporean Foreign Liaison Officer said, “I served years prior in the
Singaporean military. I wanted to try out John and Jane Wayne day to bring back
memories of when I served and also because my husband works on Quantico, it
makes me feel closer and more relatable knowing what sort of environment he
works with.”
After the ISMT,
spouses fired live rounds down range. Geared up with a flak jacket, Kevlar
helmet and loaded up with an ammo belt of 40 rounds. As the weather intensified,
spouses continued firing rounds down range.
The day wouldn’t
be complete without the full Marine Corps experience: ending with a police call
within the vicinity of where the spouses fired. Spouses were instructed to pick
up brass and any live rounds.
Rebecca Van Opdorp stated, “My husband is a colonel
in the Marines and I’ve been to previous John and Jane Wayne days, but it’s
been years. It’s always fun to experience the training and lifestyle that my
husband goes through and it’s interesting seeing the way the military prepares
and trains.”