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| Marines and Mountaineers receiving FTX Orders |
USMC Mountain Warfare Training Center, Pickel Meadows California - “You've been issued 30 rounds of 5.56 ammunition, the exercise will be broken down into 2 skiing movements with 2 shooting stages,” the voice of the mountain warfare training center scout sniper cadre member could be heard echoing off the mountains along the Pacific Rim Trail, “Upon completion of this field exercise we’ll tally up the hits and deduct 1 minute for every round on target to determine the fastest finish time.”
Eric Meyer, of Steamboat Springs, Colorado had spent enough time around nordic skiing as a US Ski Team Physcian to know that 30 hits would nearly wipe out the 5km total cross-country ski portion of this military style biathlon exercise. He also knew that he along with fellow Himalayan climbers Chris Klinke and Chhiring Dorje Sherpa had their work cut out for them to keep up with the elite Marine Corps scout snipers joining them in the exercise.
“I never saw myself sitting around a fire pit in the middle of the night,
talking about Everest Base Camp and Camp Leatherneck - Afghanistan
in the same sentence.” - Eric Meyer M.D.
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| Eric Meyer M.D. wraps up a course of fire |
American300 Tours brought these renowned high altitude expedition leaders to the training center to assist the DoD with subject matter expertise. While the climbers had little familiarization with Marine Corps issued equipment and weapons, they did posses strategic and tactical operational experience in dealing with compartmentalized high altitude environs.
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| Chris Klinke talks mountaineering with Marines |
“We’re here because of American300, they (the nonprofit) are focused on exchange, whether in the form of subject matter resiliency experts or operational expertise,” said Eric Meyer M.D., adding “Chhiring has never shot a rifle in his life, but what he lacks in weapons knowledge he more then makes up for in mountain clime experience, he's been to the top of Mount Everest 12 times.”
As Chris Klinke adjusted the straps on his desert tan government issue rucksack, Chhiring Dorje was busy deciding which way he wanted to sling the M4 rifle over his back. “This is fantastic, we’ve spent the last 24 hours up here in the high Sierra’s with these combat hardened Marines, the entire experience has been an open two-way exchange of information and experience.” said Chris Klinke, the expedition leader for the Americans.
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| Chhiring Dorje Sherpa |
When the exercise was over, it came down to shooting expertise to determine the overall winner. With no missed shots, Corporal David Thiessen, of the 3rd Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment came out on top. “I was just focused on my skis and not throwing up,” said Thiessen closing with, “Scout Snipers are a tight community, everyone knows everyone, it’s just like the mountaineer community and that makes for commonality and brotherhood which you need when operating in these climes.”
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American300 Tours'
For more information about American300: www.American300.org
American300 is an all volunteer 501c3 nonprofit with a mission of supporting the Department of Defense and Department of State with unique resiliency subject matter experts. No federal endorsement of sponsors or nonprofit is ever intended or implied - American300.org operates as a NGO/AVO.
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