U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, describe what it is like training out in the field during Integrated Training Exercise 5-19 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California., July 25- Aug. 22, 2019. Reserve Marines and Sailors with 1/25 participate in ITX to prepare for their upcoming deployment to the Pacific Region. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Sgt. Andy O. Martinez)
Transcript
Transitioning from every day life being a reservist is definitely a little bit different, because, you know. So used to seeing our families and all of a sudden we got (beep) blowing up right next to us. Field life is pretty much the ideal scenario for the best training you can get. It definitely makes days go by long. There’s not a really good way to get all the rocks off from underneath you, kinda everywhere you can’t really avoid them. It cools down a little bit at night, but it’s hot daily. Sucks about living out here in the field, the worse part is easily the heat. There’s no way to escape it, seems like everything you do kinda drags. Until you finally get to the end of the day and you get to sit down and everyone is kinda laughing about how much it sucked. You’ve enjoyed it, it’s well worth it for it. The benefit of field life for the marines, is that when you put everybody in a nasty environment, it forms a bond between the guys. An army cohesion depends on their brotherhood their bond. It’s well worth it when you get to get back and fall asleep on a bed. It’s something that no one else would understand unless you went through it. Sleeping on the field, is as close as you can as the best training to simulate what we’re going to be going through. Worse part about it is, probably the lack of being able to change your cammies. Going back to the normal life, it’s a lot easier than transitioning into being in the field. But it definitely feels nice to get back into it. Our reserve unit’s from Fort Devens, Massachusetts, right outside of Boston. So coming out here is a little bit of a shift. You know we’re not exactly used to a 105° here, with the sun beating down on you everyday. But it’s nice to see that all you guys can get acclimated too and get the job done.