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24th MEU to conduct urban training exercises

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — About 2,000 Marines and sailors are set to conduct realistic urban training exercises over the next two weeks throughout south central Virginia.

The training is for the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the landing force for the Norfolk-based Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group set to deploy overseas later this spring. It is designed to expose the Marines to realistic scenarios in an urban area.

“Our aim in south central Virginia is to expose our Marines to realistic scenarios in an actual urban community, thereby reducing what we call environmental stress,” Marine Col. Peter Petronzio said in a written statement.

The exercises will be conducted from Oct. 28 through Nov. 11 in Martinsville, Danville, Chatham, South Boston, Crewe and Fork Union. The unit will operate out of Fort Pickett in Blackstone.

Through the program, which falls under the six-month pre-deployment training for the unit, Marines will be trained to conduct a variety of missions that they may be called upon to perform, including noncombatant evacuation operations and raids.

“It’s really hard to replicate the unknown in a place that they’re so familiar with,” said Capt. Kelly Frushour, public affairs officer for the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. “There are so many things about training off base that is valuable. Power lines, traffic lights — these are things that we don’t have on base that the Marines have to get used to.”

Residents of some areas can expect to see helicopters flying, military vehicles and Marines patrolling on foot. Others will be notified in advance of mock raids to be conducted nearby.

Marines will perform surveillance and reconnaissance on houses that will be occupied by mock terrorists, and then raid the home. They will be responsible for locating the fake terrorists, and intercepting any of their phone calls and letters.

Some also may see and hear Marine helicopters performing landings and takeoffs at designated locations. The helicopters conducting this training are the CH-53E Super Stallion, CH-46Es Sea Knight, UH-1N Huey, and AH-1W Super Cobra.