Marines return to Fort Bragg for annual artillery exercise

FORT BRAGG — The Marines and their artillery are again on the town, in accordance with Fort Bragg officers.

 The tenth Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division began their semi-annual subject artillery train and live-fire coaching train often known as Operation Rolling Thunder on Tuesday and can stay within the space by Oct. 28.  

The live-fire portion of the train begins Saturday, a information launch states.  

Through the dwell fireplace, the Marines “will fireplace important quantities of M777 Howitzer 155mm ammunition” from 18 totally different M777 Howitzers, “which might be related to loud explosions and reverberations upon detonation.”  

Concurrently, subject artillery items from the 82nd Airborne Division and the 18th Subject Artillery Brigade are anticipated to conduct live-fire coaching.  

Extra:Behind the scenes as artillery fires at Fort Bragg

“The coaching carried out at Fort Bragg is critical to assist keep the tenth Marine Regiment’s readiness,” mentioned Sharilyn Wells, a Fort Bragg spokeswoman. “We ask the communities surrounding Fort Bragg to be understanding whereas they’re right here coaching.” 

In earlier years, officers have mentioned the 155mm Howitzers can’t be fired at Camp Lejeune and that Fort Bragg’s coaching space permits extra space and suppleness.

There might be no mass firing from 11 p.m. to five a.m. every day or 10 a.m. to midday Sundays, the information launch states.  

Final yr’s train “positioned the Marines in a geographically dispersed, unscripted, force-on-force coaching state of affairs purposefully designed to imitate two militaries competing to grab and maintain key maritime terrain.”  

The coaching at Fort Bragg allowed the Marines to command and management offensive air assist and excessive mobility artillery rocket programs, execute a heliborne artillery raid, make the most of joint precision airdrop programs, resupply the unit and dig positions supposed to guard troops towards enemy artillery fireplace, officers beforehand mentioned.