Maneuver Warfare Training
Posted on July 17,2019Article Date Nov 01, 1981
Units of the 2d Marine Division, 2d Force Service Support Group, 4th Marine Division,-and 2d Marine Aircraft Wing have been at Camp Pickett, Va., since early September undergoing field training and refining a variety of maneuver warfare concepts.
Subordinate elements involved include Headquarters 6th Marine Amphibious Brigade (6th MAB); Regimental Landing Team 2 (RLT 2); 2d and 3d Battalions, 2d Marines; 3d Battalion (-), 24th Marines; nearly 60 tanks from 2d Tank Battalion; more than 50 assault amphibian vehicles from the 2d Assault Amphibian Battalion; company sized elements from 2d Reconnaissance Battalion and 2d Engineer Battalion, and Combat Service Support Battalion 22 with a sizable bridging capability from 8th Engineer Battalion.
In addition to extensive weapons firing for troops and classroom work for officers, each battalion had a full week of mechanized-countermechanized training that involved extensive familiarization with LVT and tank operations followed by a three-day war.
From 13-15 October, the 6th MAB, commanded by BGen J. E. Hopkins, conducted a command post exercise coordinated with a free-wheeling regimental level exercise by RLT 2. This training focused on specific aspects of maneuver warfare, such as bridging and river-crossing operations and employment of a mobile combat service support detachment.
During the training, MajGen A. M. Gray, Jr., commanding general of the division, deployed forward with a small “jump command post” element and joined in the field maneuvers to test communications and staff functions during periods of rapid movement.
