Monday, Feb. 9, 1998

Reserves ready to go

By ERIN HAZARD
Collegian Staff Writer

EBENSBURG -- Coming up the snow-covered road through the hills of Sidman, Pa., the average person may not notice anything unusual.

But a closer look reveals Marines clad in white jumpsuits lying in 4 to 5 inches of snow, monitoring the perimeter of the area they are protecting.

By the time they are spotted, they have already relayed the location of an intruder back to the concentration of forces about a mile away.

With talk of a possible attack on Iraq circulating in the government, training activities like this take on a new level of importance for both the participants and those they are being trained to protect.

Marine reservist Cpl. Chris Stesko (senior-international politics) demonstrates the weapon held by Lance Cpl. James Gesselman (senior-psychology and administration of justice). The reservists were participating in a training weekend in Ebensburg. (Collegian Photo/Mike Morones - click for full size image)

About eight University students, who are members of the U.S. Marine Reserves from Ebensburg, Erie and Connellsville, met in Ebensburg this weekend to participate in wargame exercises that could turn into real-world experience.

The weekend of training is especially important to those in reserve units, said Cpl. Chris Stetsko (senior-international politics).

"Reserve Marines only have one weekend to get it together, which is very difficult," he said.

Stetsko, who trained this weekend, said that if he and his fellow reservists were called to duty, they would have to withdraw from the University for the semester and prepare to leave at a moment's notice.

Whether they were simulating a nuclear/biological/chemical attack or trying to defend themselves against instructors posing as armed guerrillas, the reservists had to react this weekend as they would in a real conflict.

Many of the Marines at the weekend exercise said they weren't looking forward to a conflict in Iraq, although they did say they would be prepared to go and put their training to the test.

"I'm ready for it if it happens," said Lance Cpl. James Gesselman (senior-psychology and administration of justice). "I would hope so, anyway."

Gesselman and his platoon members slept outside in the freezing temperatures trying to complete their assigned missions, while the inspector/instructor staff did their best to cause problems for the reservists to handle. The weapons used in the practice were real but the bullets were blanks.

Motor Vehicle Operator Julio DeJesus (senior-administration of justice) said the exercise helped him mentally prepare for action. Although he said he wasn't sure if he would be sent to Iraq, he did say he would serve with his platoon.

"If we have to go, we go," he said. "That's our job."