1 00:00:00,128 --> 00:00:03,878 (intense instrumental music) 2 00:00:12,290 --> 00:00:15,373 ^(explosion blasting) 3 00:00:20,023 --> 00:00:23,773 (intense instrumental music) 4 00:00:33,656 --> 00:00:35,709 - [Narrator] The first tracked landing vehicles were 5 00:00:35,709 --> 00:00:39,676 introduced and heavily relied upon during World War II. 6 00:00:39,676 --> 00:00:43,201 Today's assault amphibian vehicles, or AAVs, 7 00:00:43,201 --> 00:00:45,412 provide the Marine Air-Ground Task Force 8 00:00:45,412 --> 00:00:47,727 with the mobility, fire power, 9 00:00:47,727 --> 00:00:49,614 and armored protection necessary, 10 00:00:49,614 --> 00:00:52,695 to conduct ship-to-objective maneuver. 11 00:00:52,695 --> 00:00:55,097 The AAV continues to evolve as the 12 00:00:55,097 --> 00:00:56,945 future operating environment changes 13 00:00:56,945 --> 00:00:59,521 and it continues to provide the Marine Corp 14 00:00:59,521 --> 00:01:03,104 with a unique, service-defining capability. 15 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:05,330 Assault Amphibian School, 16 00:01:05,330 --> 00:01:09,046 located aboard Marine Corp Base Camp Pendleton, California, 17 00:01:09,046 --> 00:01:11,652 trains marines in assault amphibian vehicle 18 00:01:11,652 --> 00:01:13,902 operations and maintenance, 19 00:01:14,189 --> 00:01:16,852 assists in the development of formal training 20 00:01:16,852 --> 00:01:18,302 and doctrinal proponency 21 00:01:18,302 --> 00:01:20,694 for the Assault Amphibian community, 22 00:01:20,694 --> 00:01:23,633 and advocates for continuous, progressive, 23 00:01:23,633 --> 00:01:27,800 career-long training, for the Assault Amphibian marine. 24 00:01:27,885 --> 00:01:31,470 Assault Amphibian School provides entry, intermediate, 25 00:01:31,470 --> 00:01:33,111 and advanced level training, 26 00:01:33,111 --> 00:01:35,195 to both enlisted and officer personnel 27 00:01:35,195 --> 00:01:38,862 ^in the military occupational specialties of: 28 00:01:51,814 --> 00:01:54,807 Assault Amphibian School provides innovative training 29 00:01:54,807 --> 00:01:56,374 to prepare entry-level marines 30 00:01:56,374 --> 00:01:58,992 for service in the operating forces. 31 00:01:58,992 --> 00:02:01,927 Students are trained, tested and evaluated 32 00:02:01,927 --> 00:02:03,844 in swimming capability, 33 00:02:04,554 --> 00:02:06,937 gunnery, (guns firing) 34 00:02:06,937 --> 00:02:10,906 tactics, infantry immigration, (guns firing) 35 00:02:10,906 --> 00:02:14,656 amphibious operations and maintenance skills. 36 00:02:16,462 --> 00:02:18,762 Students must meet demanding physical fitness 37 00:02:18,762 --> 00:02:20,426 and academic performance requirements 38 00:02:20,426 --> 00:02:21,797 in order to graduate. - Yes, sir! 39 00:02:21,797 --> 00:02:23,214 - [All] Yes, sir! 40 00:02:24,503 --> 00:02:26,559 - My name is Sergeant Andres Martinez. 41 00:02:26,559 --> 00:02:27,758 - Gunnery Sergeant Pete Slayden. 42 00:02:27,758 --> 00:02:28,650 - Lance Corporal Julia Chenoweth. 43 00:02:28,650 --> 00:02:29,830 - And I'm a platform instructor. 44 00:02:29,830 --> 00:02:32,081 - I teach the basic maintainer course. 45 00:02:32,081 --> 00:02:34,860 - Assault amphibious vehicle maintainer here at 46 00:02:34,860 --> 00:02:38,838 Assault Amphibian School, Camp Pendleton, California. 47 00:02:38,838 --> 00:02:40,523 ^- The mission of Assault Amphibian School is to 48 00:02:40,523 --> 00:02:43,671 ^train entry-level students how to be operators of AAVs, 49 00:02:43,671 --> 00:02:47,028 mechanics, how to be officers for these vehicles. 50 00:02:47,028 --> 00:02:50,278 And we also provide intermediate level, 51 00:02:50,464 --> 00:02:54,012 and advanced level training for both courses as well. 52 00:02:54,012 --> 00:02:55,318 We train these marines on the 53 00:02:55,318 --> 00:02:57,970 Assault Amphibian's vehicle platform. 54 00:02:57,970 --> 00:03:00,995 We do this by having these marines go through 55 00:03:00,995 --> 00:03:02,412 55 training days. 56 00:03:02,969 --> 00:03:06,719 They start out by getting classroom lectures. 57 00:03:07,340 --> 00:03:09,693 After each lecture, they'll get demonstrations 58 00:03:09,693 --> 00:03:12,110 by all the other instructors. 59 00:03:12,250 --> 00:03:14,657 And at the end, they'll be evaluated through 60 00:03:14,657 --> 00:03:18,207 practical application and field training exercises. 61 00:03:18,207 --> 00:03:20,644 Some of the innovative training methods that we use 62 00:03:20,644 --> 00:03:24,536 to train these young marines are actually for our gunnery. 63 00:03:24,536 --> 00:03:27,924 Once they get into that portion of their course, 64 00:03:27,924 --> 00:03:30,643 they'll first run through a simulator. 65 00:03:30,643 --> 00:03:33,524 It's actually how to use the weapons. 66 00:03:33,524 --> 00:03:35,703 It almost looks like a video game to them, 67 00:03:35,703 --> 00:03:38,071 but it's a very real-life scenario, 68 00:03:38,071 --> 00:03:40,145 and it prepares them when they really actually go do 69 00:03:40,145 --> 00:03:43,112 (guns firing) their field exercise training. 70 00:03:43,112 --> 00:03:45,954 Our community, being so small in the Marine Corp 71 00:03:45,954 --> 00:03:48,139 affects us and these marines, simply because 72 00:03:48,139 --> 00:03:51,683 this is not gonna be the last time that we see each other. 73 00:03:51,683 --> 00:03:54,041 Later on, down their careers, once these 74 00:03:54,041 --> 00:03:56,208 young marines become NCOs, 75 00:03:57,522 --> 00:03:59,658 we'll be working together side by side 76 00:03:59,658 --> 00:04:00,981 in the operating forces. 77 00:04:00,981 --> 00:04:02,738 We'll go on deployments together. 78 00:04:02,738 --> 00:04:04,330 So this isn't the last time that, 79 00:04:04,330 --> 00:04:06,414 we'll actually spend more than one time. 80 00:04:06,414 --> 00:04:09,014 We build that working relationship right now, 81 00:04:09,014 --> 00:04:11,105 that instructor/student relationship. 82 00:04:11,105 --> 00:04:14,972 And later on down their career, it's just gonna continue. 83 00:04:14,972 --> 00:04:16,637 We support the MAGTF 84 00:04:16,637 --> 00:04:20,804 simply by providing that ship-to-shore capabilities. 85 00:04:21,211 --> 00:04:24,776 And once we arrive on shore, we also provide 86 00:04:24,776 --> 00:04:27,231 follow-on missions from shore-to-objective 87 00:04:27,231 --> 00:04:30,558 to the infantry if we carry infantry to objective, 88 00:04:30,558 --> 00:04:32,891 and provide support by fire. 89 00:04:34,013 --> 00:04:36,322 ^- The mission of my course is to take 90 00:04:36,322 --> 00:04:39,176 ^students who've graduated boot camp, MCT, 91 00:04:39,176 --> 00:04:41,814 and they've gained the basic skills of marines, 92 00:04:41,814 --> 00:04:44,832 and continue their transformation towards the fleet. 93 00:04:44,832 --> 00:04:46,339 And teach them basic mechanical skills, 94 00:04:46,339 --> 00:04:49,589 and also operational skills of the AAV. 95 00:04:50,122 --> 00:04:53,188 That way they know how to operate what they're working on. 96 00:04:53,188 --> 00:04:55,415 The methods I use to train the marines, 97 00:04:55,415 --> 00:04:57,337 most are gonna be classroom methods. 98 00:04:57,337 --> 00:05:01,504 Upstairs will be our basic PowerPoint and formal lecture 99 00:05:01,526 --> 00:05:02,806 where we get the students involved. 100 00:05:02,806 --> 00:05:05,421 It's not so much as a direct discussion like it would be 101 00:05:05,421 --> 00:05:09,588 at recruit training, or maybe other schools, such as SOI. 102 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:11,754 Here we really like to get the marines engaged 103 00:05:11,754 --> 00:05:15,171 and have them be part of the process, of not just learning, 104 00:05:15,171 --> 00:05:17,072 but also helping teach themselves. 105 00:05:17,072 --> 00:05:18,883 So for practical application, 106 00:05:18,883 --> 00:05:20,448 we do most of it down on the RAMP, 107 00:05:20,448 --> 00:05:22,846 which is our rear area maintenance place. 108 00:05:22,846 --> 00:05:23,699 We'll take the students down, 109 00:05:23,699 --> 00:05:24,891 and they're gonna start practicing 110 00:05:24,891 --> 00:05:25,905 on everything they're gonna do 111 00:05:25,905 --> 00:05:28,752 from suspension work, all the way up to 112 00:05:28,752 --> 00:05:30,726 the more technical, intricate things. 113 00:05:30,726 --> 00:05:33,008 They'll be pulling an entire power plant assembly, 114 00:05:33,008 --> 00:05:35,308 which weighs just over 6,000 pounds. 115 00:05:35,308 --> 00:05:37,242 We'll have them run on the deck, 116 00:05:37,242 --> 00:05:38,184 hooked to the vehicle, 117 00:05:38,184 --> 00:05:40,469 and then we have them reinstall them as well. 118 00:05:40,469 --> 00:05:42,894 You look back at the island hopping campaigns, 119 00:05:42,894 --> 00:05:44,618 you look at roles in Vietnam, 120 00:05:44,618 --> 00:05:46,274 you look at roles in every major engagement 121 00:05:46,274 --> 00:05:48,191 whether it was Somalia, 122 00:05:48,324 --> 00:05:50,991 or even Iraq, we had AAVs there. 123 00:05:51,070 --> 00:05:53,184 So it's hard to say, in any climate and place, 124 00:05:53,184 --> 00:05:54,169 where you'll be. 125 00:05:54,169 --> 00:05:57,475 ^- The mission of our session is to maintain these vehicles, 126 00:05:57,475 --> 00:05:59,396 ^so that way, both the students and the instructors 127 00:05:59,396 --> 00:06:01,694 can have the hands-on experience. 128 00:06:01,694 --> 00:06:03,110 It's one thing to learn in the classroom, 129 00:06:03,110 --> 00:06:04,732 but it's a completely different thing 130 00:06:04,732 --> 00:06:06,066 to actually drive the vehicles. 131 00:06:06,066 --> 00:06:08,529 And we make sure that you can do that safely, 132 00:06:08,529 --> 00:06:10,368 and that you can operate, and learn how to operate, 133 00:06:10,368 --> 00:06:12,201 in a safe environment. 134 00:06:12,572 --> 00:06:13,910 The instructors here are extremely dedicated 135 00:06:13,910 --> 00:06:15,047 to what they do. 136 00:06:15,047 --> 00:06:17,308 They will go out of their way, any time of the day, 137 00:06:17,308 --> 00:06:19,551 to make sure that you understand everything 138 00:06:19,551 --> 00:06:21,974 that you have to understand in order to become an amtracker. 139 00:06:21,974 --> 00:06:24,321 Personally, I struggled with some of the physical aspects. 140 00:06:24,321 --> 00:06:27,184 And our instructors made sure everyday that I was going out 141 00:06:27,184 --> 00:06:29,854 lifting weights, doing the buddy drag, 142 00:06:29,854 --> 00:06:30,877 and eventually I got it. 143 00:06:30,877 --> 00:06:33,767 So they will go out of their way, any time, any day, 144 00:06:33,767 --> 00:06:34,701 to make sure that you understand. 145 00:06:34,701 --> 00:06:36,486 Whether they teach you in a classroom, 146 00:06:36,486 --> 00:06:37,595 whether they have to draw it out, 147 00:06:37,595 --> 00:06:39,178 or whether they have to bring you down here, 148 00:06:39,178 --> 00:06:40,640 turn on the vehicle, and actually show you 149 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:42,531 how it works on the vehicle. 150 00:06:42,531 --> 00:06:44,259 I really wanted to become part of this MOS 151 00:06:44,259 --> 00:06:45,687 because we are that heart of the Marine Corp. 152 00:06:45,687 --> 00:06:48,380 We provide that amphibious assault that we are known for. 153 00:06:48,380 --> 00:06:50,177 We can go from ship-to-shore at anytime, 154 00:06:50,177 --> 00:06:51,414 anytime the nation needs us. 155 00:06:51,414 --> 00:06:54,597 Especially as a female, with this new integration, 156 00:06:54,597 --> 00:06:55,567 we have to meet those standards. 157 00:06:55,567 --> 00:06:56,451 It's a huge challenge. 158 00:06:56,451 --> 00:06:57,978 It's something that not everyone is up to, 159 00:06:57,978 --> 00:07:01,712 especially women coming into this integration field. 160 00:07:01,712 --> 00:07:04,108 So as a woman, it's a chance to make history. 161 00:07:04,108 --> 00:07:06,762 As a marine, it's a chance just to be part of 162 00:07:06,762 --> 00:07:09,179 the heart of the Marine Corp. 163 00:07:09,876 --> 00:07:12,959 ^(explosion blasting)