Marines from Military Police Company, Headquarters Battalion, 4th Marine Division, a Marine Corps reserve unit based out of Minnesota and North Dakota, and members of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces conducted host-nation weapons training in Tifnit, Morocco, May 20 and 21, 2011.



Over the chaotic sound of gunfire, bullets made their way to paper targets. Whether from an M-4 carbine or an AK-47 assault rifle, they were sent down range by U.S. Marines and Moroccan soldiers learning from each other.



The training was conducted as part of African Lion 2011, a bilateral exercise consisting of more than 2,000 U.S. service members and more th an 900 members of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. The exercise is designed to promote interoperability and mutual understanding of each nation's military tactics, techniques and procedures.



The host-nation weapons training began on May 20 with classroom instruction. Moroccan soldiers taught the Marines about the function, operations cycle, basic disassembly and assembly of their standard-issue assault rifle, the AK-47.



"[The Moroccan soldiers] are professionals, and they are very proud of their culture," said Captain Roy Mokosso, commanding officer of MP Company. After the instruction, the Marines received hands-on experience taking the AK-47 rifles apart and putting them back together, getting used to the various parts that make up the weapon.



"Our Marines usually only receive training on foreign weapons when they deploy," said Mokosso. "So this host-nation training from Morocco helps make them one step closer to being prepared for a deployment."



After the Marines had a solid understanding of the different parts and the assembly of the Moroccan rifles, they decided to have a competition by racing each other and their Moroccan counterparts disassembling and reassembling the weapon. Afterwards, they decided to make things interesting by racing while blindfolded.



"We were slower then [the Moroccans], but it was neck and neck, and it was all in good fun," said Lance Corporal Steven Blahnik, a military policeman with MP Company.



The following morning, the Marines were up before the dawn, with their packs bulging with gear and cinched securely to their backs. After ensuring all the Marines were present, they marched about three miles at a swift pace to a nearby live-fire range.



The first portion of the live-fire training was with U.S. weapons, including the M249 light machine gun, M-4 carbine rifle and M-9 pistol. Marines were paired with Moroccan soldiers and organized into firing teams. At the firing line, Marines coached the Moroccans while they shot down range at the paper targets.



"This training gives the junior leadership a chance to step up and teach the Moroccans about our weapons," said Sergeant Anthony Kiehl, a squad leader with MP Co.



After all the ammunition for the U.S. weapon systems was expended, the tables turned and the Moroccans' favored weapon, the AK-47, was brought to the firing line. This time around, Moroccan soldiers coached as the Marines fired rounds down range.



"It was my first experience with the AK, and it is always nice to enhance our understanding of different weapon systems," said Blahnik.



After the live-fire training was completed, the Marines marched back and spent the rest of the night cleaning their weapons fired during the day, while at the same time socializing with their Moroccan counterparts.



"It has been great teaching the Moroccans and vice versa, but they really got to learn something new when the classes were over and the Marines and Moroccans were able to get to know each other and learn about each other's culture and language," said Mokosso.



African Lion is an annually scheduled, bilateral U.S.-Moroccan exercise. This year's exercise, the 8th annual iteration, brings together U.S. service members from multiple locations throughout Europe and North America with members of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces.



African Lion is the largest exercise within the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) area of responsibility, and is designed to promote interoperability and mutual understanding of each nation's military tactics, techniques and procedures. All U.S. forces will return to their home bases in the United States and Europe at the conclusion of the exercise.