Melissa Culp, wife of 1st Lt. William Culp, executive officer, company D, 1st Tank Battalion, applies a tourniquet during the battalion’s Jane Wayne Day at Range 500 aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., March 2, 2017. The event is held to bolster unit cohesion while allowing the spouses to see what their Marines and sailors do on a daily basis. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Julio McGraw)

Photo by Cpl. Julio McGraw

1st Tanks spouses gear-up for Jane Wayne Day

2 Mar 2017 | Cpl. Julio McGraw Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

Twentynine Palms -- Marine wives do not always get the chance to experience firsthand what their husbands actually do in the Marine Corps, but the spouses of 1st Tank Battalion laced-up their boots and headed to the field during the battalion's Jane Wayne Day at Range 500, March 2, 2017.

“The event is meant to bolster unit cohesion but more importantly allows the spouses to see what their Marines and sailors do every day,” said 1st Lt. Ryan Montgomery, scout platoon commander, 1st Tanks. “They got to see the not so glamorous things that their husbands complain about but also do the cool things associated with being part of the battalion.”

The day kicked off with the spouses filing into medium tactical vehicle replacements and enduring a dusty 30 minute movement to range 500.

At range 500 the spouses were broken up into three teams and were given a demonstration of an M1A1 Main Battle Tank firing a round from its 120mm main gun.

“Instead of being a band of brothers we were a band of sisters,” said
Rose Lovitt, wife of Master Gunnery Sgt. Vincent Lovitt, battalion maintenance chief, 1st Tanks. “We got down and dirty and had a great time seeing first-hand the things our husband do.”

Following the tank shoot the ladies were allowed to fire M4 carbines and M16 rifles, received a demonstration and hands-on-training on combat life-saving from the battalions’ corpsmen and were given tank rides around the range.

“We don’t get to do it all the time, but it was nice to see all the ladies interacting with each other from the different sections of the battalion,” Montgomery said.

After being treated to a Meal Ready-to-Eat lunch the ladies were shown a static display of vehicles used by the battalion.

“It was awesome,” Lovitt said. “My favorite part of the day was shooting the guns and being out here with the ladies. After doing everything today, I definitely have a little more appreciation for what my husband and what these Marines do.”