The platoon, part of Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, consists of Marines of various military occupational specialties throughout the battalion.

“The main purpose of the (platoon) is to provide expeditionary security in the event the division goes forward (for) contingency operations,” said 1st Lt. Christopher A. Meadows, security platoon commander. “We are also the commanding general’s personal security detachment.”

The platoon conducts specialized training monthly to ensure mission readiness, according to Meadows.

“Since we have had a lot of new Marines come to the unit, we reset the training schedule so we can have everyone on the same page,” said Lance Cpl. Tyler L. Rodriguez, a Marine Air-Ground Task Force planning specialist with the battalion. “We are ensuring (that) those new to this unit are proficient in operating crew-served weapons. We are also doing nighttime-firing drills, convoys and security operations.”

The Marines are required to learn the characteristics and functionality of crew-served weapons before being allowed to fire, according to Meadows.

“We are performing assembly and disassembly drills with the MK19 40 mm grenade launcher and M240B medium machine gun, as well as loading procedures and failure-to-fire drills,” said Lance Cpl. Howard F. Gidden II, a technical controller with the battalion. “Once we prove proficient in these drills, we will transition into mounted firing for these weapons systems.”

This is the first weeklong training evolution Gidden has taken part in with security platoon.

 “It is different from what I am used to, but we have done some good training and I look forward to learning more,” said Gidden.

One thing the Marines with security platoon have to adjust to is the environment in which they train, according to Gidden.

“For my primary job, I work with a lot of computers and we always have air conditioning to keep the equipment from overheating,” said Gidden. “That is not the case with this unit. We are out here training in the elements. Rain or shine, we keep training.”

 For the senior Marines of the platoon, educating Gidden and the rest of the Marines is the key to their success.  

“The biggest obstacle faced when we get new Marines to the platoon is helping them understand the (importance of the) structure of the platoon,” said Rodriguez. “If they go up to their squad leader with a question before asking their fire-team leader, the squad leader will make them go ask their fire-team leader. It takes a little time to adjust to this, but our newer Marines (are adapting) well.”