MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- Back to the basics was the theme of the permanent personnel field meet, hosted aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico on March 28, 2014.
Marines of OCS’s Headquarters and Service Co. started the 10-mile, eight-station exercise which was the final event of eight months of training, spearheaded by Capt. Brandon Currie, H&S Bn. commanding officer.
“We’ve been trying to focus on the fundamentals of being a Marine,” said Currie. “I took command in June and this is how I wanted to foster esprit de corps and, develop the warrior ethos. We are really tapping into the internal Marine. This is the core of what makes us who we are as Marines.”
The stations included in the, 12-hour presented Marines with various challenges from erecting and disassembling communication equipment, conducting combat, assembling and disassembling weapons, and navigating a mid-air obstacle course.
“It’s good to see Marines of all ranks work together as a team,” said Sgt. Winston Florez, company police sergeant. “Bring the different skills form the different MOSs into this culminating experience.”
Curries’ intent behind the training and ultimately the event was to bring the company together.
“The exercise has benefitted morale pusposes, esprit de corps and unit cohesion,” said Staff Sgt. Jorge Montes, event evaluator. “It brought individual effort and the will to not let their team down. They were able to work together and overcome their fears, like heights, because their scores had an impact on the squad. For that reason, they were able to push forward and complete the obstacles.”
At the conclusion of the event H&S Co. Marines met at the event command center to enjoy a feast of a dinner, fellowship and a special event with Master Sgt. Brian Blonder, surveillance and recon specialist, a war-decorated Marine.
“It’s been challenging but very fun,” said Currie. “I’ve been pleased with what I’ve seen.”
Correspondent: samuel.l.ellis@usmc.mil