3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
This article needs to be updated.(April 2014) |
3d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (3d LAR) | |
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War on Terror
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Commanders | |
Current commander | LtCol Scott A. Stewart |
3d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (3D LAR BN) is a fast and mobilized
Organization
Battalion level
An 3d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion currently consists of three line companies and one headquarters and service company organized as follows
- Huron Company (H&S Co)
- Apache Company (A Co)
- Blackfoot Company (B Co)
- Comanche Company (C Co)
Company level
An organic Light Armored Reconnaissance Company consists of five platoons of light armored vehicles (LAVs) organized as follows:[1]
- Headquarters (HQ) - One command and control (LAV-C2), three logistic (LAV-L), one recovery (LAV-R), and two LAV-25 variants.
- Line platoons - First (1st) or Red, Second (2nd) or White, and Third (3rd) or Blue - Four LAV-25 variants each.
- Weapons (Wpns) - Two mortar (LAV-M) and four anti-tank (LAV-AT) variants.
An LAV-25 crew consists of a driver, usually a junior 0313 (the MOS designation for LAV Crewman), a gunner, and a vehicle commander (VC). The gunner operates the main gun, the
The company commander or executive officer (XO) usually VC one of the LAV-25s in HQ platoon, the other being commanded by the company's Master Gunner or HQ platoon sergeant. The company First Sergeant, company Operations Chief, and normally a mechanic have command of the three LAV-Ls in HQ platoon. The three line platoons are commanded by first or second lieutenants, who, when the platoon is split, command one section (two vehicles) while the platoon sergeant commands the other section. In regards to Wpns platoon, the vehicles are usually commanded by their respective section chiefs, the Wpns Platoon Commander, and other qualified members from their platoon.
History
Early years
The 3d Light Armored Vehicle Battalion originally began as Company A (Reinforced), 1st Light Armored Vehicle Battalion in May 1983, and began receiving LAVs in April 1984. Company A, 1st Light Armored Vehicle Battalion became Company A, 1st Light Armored Vehicle Battalion in late 1985. The 1st Light Armored Vehicle Battalion, 27th Marines, 7th Marine Amphibious Brigade was activated on 11 September 1986. The battalion was re-designated as the 3d Light Armored Infantry Battalion on 1 October 1988 and subsequently relocated to
Gulf War and the 1990s
Detachment 3d Light Armored Infantry Battalion deployed to
During the Gulf War, Company A had been deployed to Camp Schwab, Okinawa. When a large earthquake hit the Philippines, Company A, participated in relief efforts. In June 1991, Mount Pinatubo erupted, and once again, Company A reinforced, was called upon to provide security against looters on Subic Bay Naval Base and participated in the cleanup efforts. This was Operation Fiery Vigil. Company A returned to Twentynine Palms on 7 August 1991, completing an arduous 15-month deployment.
From December 1992 to April 1993, 3d Light Armored Infantry Battalion deployed Company B and Company C along with the forward command group and forward logistics support for
On 1 March 1994, 3d Light Armored Infantry Battalion was re-designated as 3d Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalion. The battalion also participated in counter-drug operations in support of
In December 1998, Company A, 2nd Platoon participated in
Global War on Terror
Operation Iraqi Freedom
In late January through February 2003, the battalion, with the exception of Company C (on unit deployment in Okinawa), deployed with the 1st Marine Division to Kuwait in support of
On 31 March, the battalion attacked north as part of
In its advance north towards Tikrit, the element of the battalion attached to Task Force Tripoli made national headlines in the town of Samarra on 13 April when members of Company D rescued 7 American servicemen who had been taken prisoner earlier in the conflict. The rescued prisoners included two Army helicopter pilots and
Operation Iraqi Freedom II
In November 2003, the battalion was given a warning order to prepare to redeploy in August to Iraq in support of the division's resumption of support and stability operations in
Beginning 7 November 2004 Task Force Wolfpack, with a company attachment of Bradley Fighting Vehicles as the main effort, from the U.S. Army's,1st Battalion 9th Infantry Regiment (MANCHU) 2nd Brigade Combat Team (2BCT), 2nd Infantry Division, along with Company C and parts of Company A participated in
In late November, Task Force Wolfpack departed the Fallujah peninsula and was attached to the U.S. Army's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (2BCT),
Operation Iraqi Freedom 05–07
In March 2006, 3rd LAR deployed in support of OIF 05-07.1 and subsequently became Task Force WOLFPACK by attaching C/1/10 as a provisional infantry company, one HET detachment and one CAG detachment. Immediately upon arrival, Task Force WOLFPACK detached Company D to RCT-5 in Fallujah to reinforce this AO in order to support decisive operations in and around Baghdad, Iraq. In June 2006, Task Force WOLFPACK received Company D back from RCT-5 and began conducting more aggressive Counter Insurgency (COIN) operations in and around Ar Rutbah, Iraq.
In July 2006, Task Force WOLFPACK was tasked with splitting the battalion by providing a headquarters and maneuver capability to operate near Rawah, Iraq. Task Force Rutbah, which consisted of Company A, 3d LAR, C/1/10 and one half of Headquarters and Service Company (-), 3d LAR continued to conduct counter-insurgency operations in and around Ar Rutbah, Iraq. Task Force Rawah, consisting of one half of Headquarters and Service Company (-) (REIN), 3d LAR and Company D, 3d LAR, conducted a RIP with 4-14 CAV and subsequently began COIN operations in and around Rawah and Anah, Iraq. In September 2006, Task Force Rutbah and Task Force Rawah conducted a RIP with 2d LAR in both areas of operation. By early October 2006, the battalion had redeployed to Twentynine Palms, CA.[2]
Operation Iraqi Freedom 06–08
In September 2007, 3rd LAR deployed again to Iraq returning to AO Rutbah to conduct COIN operations. They returned to 29 Palms in April 2008.
In March 2009, 3rd LAR deployed yet again to Iraq to take part in counter insurgency operations operating from Sahl Sinjar Air Base in Nineveh Governorate. They returned to the states in September 2009.[3]
Operation Enduring Freedom 2010–present
In January 2010, 3rd LAR began training for their inaugural deployment to Afghanistan.
In November 2010, 3rd LAR deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan for the first time, replacing 1st LAR in support of the border security efforts operating out of Combat Out Post (COP) Payne. The following year, they were relieved by 2nd LAR in late May 2011[4][5]
In April 2012, 3rd LAR deployed again to Helmand Province.[6][7] In October 2012, they returned to the states with their homecoming hosted on Del Valle Field, Twentynine Palms, California[8]
On 19 & 20 June, 3rd LAR took part in the marine corps annual live fire exercise on their home base at 29 Palms [9]
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See also
Notes
- ^ Navy, Department of the. "Employment of the Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion." 6 January 2000. Global Securities Web Site. Document. 10 October 2015. <http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/usmc/mcwp/3-14/mcwp3-14_cdraft.pdf>.
- ^ "1st Marine Division - 3d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion - History". Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
- ^ "1st Marine Division > Units > 3D LAR BN > History".
- ^ "Battle Rattle » 2nd LAR Marines replacing 3rd LAR in Afghanistan". Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ^ "Marine 3rd LAR Brings Iraq Experience to Afghanistan".
- ^ http://www.hidesertstar.com/observation_post/news/article_2a43d8ea-961e-11e1-bed0-0019bb2963f4.html[dead link]
- ^ "Third Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion disrupts enemy passageways".
- ^ http://www.hidesertstar.com/observation_post/news/article_dd945f32-0f22-11e2-aa7a-0019bb2963f4.html[dead link]
- ^ "3rd LAR conducts live-fire maneuver".
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
- Web