By U.S. Air Force Capt. Martin Gerst
CJTF-HOA Public Affairs
CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti - 25 U.S. Marines and 1 Navy corpsman recently completed a 10-day desert training course conducted by a French Marine regiment from a neighboring camp.
Marines from the 4th Provisional Security Company here were invited by the 5th French Marine Regiment at Briere de L’Isle Barracks to participate in the course.
The goal of the course is to learn basic survival and combat skills in a desert environment. For this type of exercise Djibouti makes a superb training ground, said French Marine Capt. Michel Ladan, chief of the Desert Training School. The training teaches “simple things like eating, drinking, orienting with GPS, medical evacuation, and fighting in the desert environment,” he said. {Click on image for details of photo}
The goal of the course is to learn basic survival and combat skills in a desert environment. For this type of exercise Djibouti makes a superb training ground, said French Marine Capt. Michel Ladan, chief of the Desert Training School. The training teaches “simple things like eating, drinking, orienting with GPS, medical evacuation, and fighting in the desert environment,” he said.
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“We learned how to make life a little more comfortable when it's 125 degrees,” said Corporal Matthew Kang, 4th PSC.
The commando-training portion of the school included daily 15 to 20 mile foot movements, at night, through the high desert mountains. The Marines traveled with a camel caravan that carried their supplies. They also conducted ambushes and mock raids against suspected enemy forces in manufactured villages.
After the acclimation period was over, the platoon stopped eating French Meals Ready to Eat. “We were only given two goats, some rice and flour to make little pancakes out of each day." said Corporal Emanuel Ramosyajimovich , 4th PSC, "We learned how to kill and skin goats like the locals and then made jerky or cooked them for our meals."
The French school conducts the course several times each year for their units and, after working with the Marines of 4th PSC on other tasks, extended an invitation to the U.S. forces at Camp Lemonier to attend more of the training camps.
Upon graduation the Marines received a certificate and graduation pin presented by the French Regimental Commander.
“We need to better understand our partners in the war on terror,” said Capt. Garth Massey, executive officer, 4th PSC. “The French Marines trained here will be working in Afghanistan and other parts of Africa, so training with them was a great opportunity to see first hand how they go about preparing for missions supporting Operation Enduring Freedom."
“We are looking for more ways to work together. The school was very well put together and designed to be challenging,” Massey said. “We hope to be able to send more units in the future.” This was the first time in three years that American troops in Djibouti have been able to conduct training with the French.
“This is the kind of exercise that helps us work more closely, toward our common goal,” Massey said.