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thedrifter
07-27-04, 01:02 PM
August 02, 2004

Tougher than leather
They may not look like you, but British ‘Bootnecks’ fight and train just as hard — and maybe harder

By Laura Bailey
Times staff writer


CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — On a warm June night near the North Carolina shore, a company of Marines in small boats pushes quietly up the New River, infiltrates the black, humid woods and takes out a mock terrorist outpost in a massive firefight.
With the mission wrapped up, the Marines sprawl out on the dewy ground, pull off their wet boots and socks and catch some sleep in the warm Carolina air.

It could have been any nighttime exercise with any U.S. Marine unit. That is, unless you were to look and listen closely.

That’s when you would see the scruffy non-regulation-length hair poking out of field caps, the lean figures and the green tiger-stripe camouflage uniforms. That’s when you might hear the accents of East London or Northern Scotland as the troops talk about their “kit” (battle gear) or “yomping” (marching for long distances) or about the “wet” they plan to down after the exercise.

That’s when you would know you are in the company of the British Royal Marines.

The Marines of 42 Commando (about the size of a U.S. Marine infantry battalion) were here as part of a 28,000-strong combined joint task force exercise, Operation Blinding Storm/Operation Rapid Alliance, held June 12-21.

Like U.S. Marines, the Brits have their own elite culture — and language — within the larger military. But while they say Marines are Marines no matter what country they’re from, many differences do exist.

The Brits might even be so bold to say they are hardier the their younger American brothers. But we’ll let you be the judge. Marine Corps Times caught up with this small pack of warriors at the tail end of their exercise to see just how tough the life of a British Royal Marine is.

While some of the lads had a hard time getting through the days without their standard spot of tea, the British troops swear they are absolutely “nails” about everything else.

Among Royal Marines, that’s damn tough.

Devil dogs and badgers

During this exercise, the British Bootnecks — nicknamed, as legend goes, for the shoe leather early troops placed under their stiff wool collars to prevent chafing — battled a U.S. Marine opposition force that did all it could to get under the Brits’ skin.

At Lejeune’s urban training center, the two forces had the chance to size each other up during a mock hostage rescue.

A day after the Brits’ night rescue mission, leathernecks with 10th Marines camping out in ramshackle buildings at the urban combat facility spoke about what they saw of the Brits during the raid and throughout the exercise.

“The way they went through doors, they were covering real well,” said Master Sgt. Michael Santivasci, describing the hostage rescue. Seven of the 10 hostages were “killed” in the attack, but Santivasci said the British techniques were excellent.

“The way they went about it was extremely professional,” he said. “They definitely knew what they were doing. I was very impressed.”

The word “professional” came up often in such discussions, but still, some Marines questioned tactical differences.

“They’re just sitting off to the side of the roads. We’d try to get more cover,” said Sgt. Jeoffry Zamjahn, 21, talking about earlier ambushes. “If it was us, we’d probably move off the side of the road.”

More than anything, the American Marines noted how “chilled out” the Royals appear.

“They’re just a little more relaxed. Some of them will walk around with no blouse and no cover. An American Marine would never be caught dead without his blouse. Someone would get on them right away,” Santivasci said.

It is true that the British Marine has a slightly less regimented life than his American counterpart. Royals tend to use more first names, fewer “sirs.” They are shouted at less, and more room for discussion is allowed between troops and superiors, according to Sgt. Stan Bloomer, a Royal Marine spokesman.

The day after the hostage rescue exercise, Col. Buster Howes, commander of 42 Commando, addressed the differences.

“The British soldier is more of a badger in the field. They don’t look very crisp, but there’s a lot of determination,” said Howes, a 22-year Royal Marine veteran, sweat and dirt showing through his camouflage face paint as he stood outside his command tent.

Pointing to the group of sweaty Royal Marines spread out nearby in the shade of poncho liners, Howes talked about how the Marines end up looking “disreputable” as they adapt to their environment.

The Brits find U.S. Marine uniformity remarkable, said Howes, who served as a cold weather warfare adviser to the yanks in the 1990s. With hair “risen to an inch of their lives,” they seem “like they’re assembled exactly the same,” he said.

Marines throughout 42 Commando repeatedly mentioned the structure and hierarchy of U.S. Marines.

“We find them very regimented. They’re fantastic, but they’re not gray about anything. They’re very straight,” said 2nd Lt. Jim Lewis, leader of 3 Troop, Juliet Company, 42 Commando.

Another Brit was less subtle.

“There’s a lot more onus put on our Marines when they finish basic training,” said Cpl. Andy Lister, 26. “They can think on their own rather than get a straight set of lines that they follow. They can think outside the box.”

Riflemen first

While they may be more relaxed, the credo “every Marine a rifleman” is especially true for the Brits.

continued............

thedrifter
07-27-04, 01:02 PM
Not only are the Bootnecks commando-trained, but all serving Royal Marines spend at least two years as infantry commandos before moving into a more specialized job. It’s a distinct difference from U.S. Marines, who come into the Corps knowing exactly what job they’ll do and train in that unique specialty from the beginning.

Sgt. Pat Patterson, 35, was among a group of Royal Marine landing support specialists camped on Lejeune’s beach during the exercise. He and two other Marines, a driver and a “hooker,” operate a new “piece of kit” called the BEAST, or Beach-Equipped Amphibious Support Tracked vehicle. The 52-ton rig can move 37 tons of debris or equipment from the water.

In addition to being mechanics, Patterson and his crew, like all Royal Marines, are commandos. Their basic training includes commando training, and they can switch back and forth between working in support units in one of the three battalion-sized forces the British corps is formed around — 40, 42 and 45 Commando.

Before working as a mechanic and BEAST commander, Patterson served for several years in the commando units.

At Quantico, Va., Color Sgt. Chris Richards further explained the concept.

Once they’re through the basic training commando course, every Marine serves two years in a commando fighting unit.

After two years in the unit, they can either continue in the infantry or do a two- or three-year tour in a specialty such as physical training instructor or mechanic. But most Marines can easily go back and forth between what they call “general duties” and specialized assignments, said Richards, who teaches physical training to Marine officer students at Quantico as part of a long-running officer exchange program .

Most Bootnecks wouldn’t have it any other way after undergoing a 32-week basic training course, one of the longest in the world, he said.

“They’re not going run around with a dagger in their mouth just to become a vehicle mechanic,” he said.

Every clime and place

The size, power and equipment of the U.S. Marine Corps are things the British at this exercise repeatedly noted with envy.

With about 6,000 personnel, the Royal Marines are a tiny force. They have fewer combat support assets and spend a lot more time on foot, loaded down with their gear.

“We don’t have a great fleet of helicopters that can pick us up anytime they want to,” Richards said.

The British all-terrain vehicles and Land Rovers aren’t armored, so they don’t go to the front lines as easily, he said, noting that the Brits are better suited for urban combat.

But where the U.S. Marines bring tremendous power to bear, the Royals bring “mobility and our professional ability down to the lowest level,” said Bloomer, the Royal Marine spokesman.

Similar to their U.S. brethren, no potential war theater is beyond the Royals. This means extensive training in deserts, jungles and the Arctic.

For Arctic training, the commando units head to the snows of Norway every year. There, the units go through an intense round of sub-zero temperature training.

In Norway, the Marines, including privates who haven’t so much as stood on a ski, learn to live and fight in the snow.

“We’re very proud that we can do it,” said Capt. Jez Stemp, adjutant for U.K. Landing Force Command Support Group. “The guys love that it’s not the normal. It’s not what you’d do in the Army.”

As part of the three-week sub-zero temperature training, the Marines learn to tunnel into packed snow to create snow holes, where they learn to live. Each Marine must ski into a hole in an iced-over lake, swim more than 10 feet through the icy water and climb back onto the ice with ski poles.

Along with training in Norway, Belize or the Middle East, the Royal Marines generally deploy for six-month tours to such troubled European locations as Kosovo and Bosnia. And every Bootneck can expect to do at least one stint in Northern Ireland, a place they say was an exciting deployment during the heyday of the Irish Republican Army, but these days, it’s too dull for a Royal to enjoy.

In recent years, the Royals have been called to shoulder part of the Iraq and Afghanistan mission, joining U.S. and other coalition forces. The Brits’ longstanding close relationship with their U.S. counterparts was evident during the major combat phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom, when the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit was under the command of 3 Commando Brigade for a short time.

Living the austere life

Just before heading out for the night riverine operation on the New River, a group of shirtless Bootnecks stood on shore haggling over a case of American MREs. One Marine jumped out of the circle, threw his hands in the air like a boxing champ and danced around the group, bragging about his prize. It wasn’t so much the meal he got, but the meal he’d avoided — the almost universally reviled bean burrito.

Had it not been for foot-and-mouth-disease quarantines, the Royals would have brought their own chow. But instead, the brigade was left with American MREs, a fact that left the Bootnecks yearning for their traditional tea and hot beverages — even in the muggy heat of Camp Lejeune.

But when snack wagons pulled up to a clearing in the woods and the Brits lined up for a quick junk-food fix — an astonishing field experience for these Marines accustomed to few frills — it was clear the culinary experience at Lejeune was not so bad.

The Royal Marines were in a state of near-constant amazement that life during exercises and in garrison alike is so cushy on U.S. Marine bases.

With no morale, welfare and recreation office, British bases don’t have exchanges, restaurants and other creature comforts.

Home to about 600 to 700 Marines each, British bases are also tiny compared to the sprawling Camp Lejeune, with a population of nearly 100,000 Marines, sailors and family members. As one young Brit put it, Lejeune is almost as big as London.

But because Great Britain is relatively small, most Royal Marines can escape base life and travel home on weekends.

And life can be simpler, as well. Royal Marines have no “up or out” policy.

With a 22-year career limit, some Marines never make it past corporal, Richards said. That said, it’s much harder to make rank in the Royal Marines. It takes about 10 to 12 years of service to make sergeant, for example.

Richards said Marines become candidates for promotion a year after basic training, but they don’t have to accept the promotion to the next rank. As a corporal they’re automatically in the promotion line, but they can decline.

“Not everybody wants to be a leader,” Richards explained.

“If you want to be happy as a Marine [private] for 22 years, you can … As long as he’s doing his job as a Marine and not slacking off.”

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=1-MARINEPAPER-275133.php


Ellie

thedrifter
07-28-04, 06:29 AM
August 02, 2004

Intense cardio workouts help Brits stay lean and mean

By Laura Bailey
Times staff writer


Think you can handle the Royal Marine workout?
Royal Marines are a lean, mean bunch who put a lot of emphasis on running and cardiovascular workouts to prepare for their long “yomps,” or foot marches.

“It’s functional to the job a Marine has to do when he’s in the field,” said Sgt. Stan Bloomer, a physical training instructor now serving as a Royal Marines spokesman.

“When you come down to the bare bones of it, a bloke has got to operate with 100 pounds on his back and be able to operate for two to three weeks at a time and that’s what the training is for.”

That emphasis has an effect on the shape of the average British Marine, who tends to be more lean and sleek, he said. Some U.S. Marines are lean and wiry as well, but many more have a physique built on hours in the weight room.

If you were part of a Royal Marine Commando unit, your minimum daily required workout would be one to three hours of running and other cardiovascular exercises, not far from the average U.S. Marine battalion PT session. But in the work-up for an overseas operation, that could climb to three sessions a day.

Beyond the daily workout, you also would have to pass numerous training tests each year:

Personal fitness assessment (three times a year)

Minimum requirements:

• 50 push-ups in two minutes.

• 60 sit-ups in two minutes.

• Four pull-ups.

• Run 1˝ miles in 10˝ minutes.

Combat fitness test (once a year)

• Eight-mile speed march, while carrying a 36-pound pack and rifle, in 110 minutes.

Advanced fitness test (one to three times a year)

First day:

• 12-mile run, carrying 66 pounds plus rifle, in 3 ˝ hours.

Second day:

• 12-mile run, carrying 44 pounds, in three hours; a fireman’s carry; and a 30-foot rope climb with 36 pounds of gear.

If you didn’t pass, you’d get a second chance at each.

But any commando who doesn’t fly on the second try suffers the shame of RT — remedial training.

Now for the fun stuff.

Royal Marine leaders don’t mind spending a little extra cash on fun fitness activities, as long as it keeps the men in shape or contributes to team building.

The Brits highly encourage competitive sports; each Wednesday, the troops gather for a “sports make ’n’ mend,” or a sports afternoon.

“It’s quite good because you get to do whatever sport interests you. If you want to go fishing or golfing, you can,” said Lance Cpl. Michael Adams, a British Army engineer assigned to the Royal Marines.

Any sport is fair game, so long as it is officially organized by a group of Marines. But mostly that means rugby, football (soccer, not the pigskin kind), cricket or track-and-field events.

And it’s frowned upon if a commander does not release a player for a competition, said Color Sgt. Chris Richards, a Royal Marine who teaches physical training to U.S. Marine officer students at Quantico, Va.

Marines are reimbursed for adventure or outdoor training they do in their free time. For example, after Marines with 42 Commando wrapped up a recent exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C., they were given leave.

One group used that leave to book a rock-climbing trip to Utah, for which they’d be reimbursed by their unit.

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=1-MARINEPAPER-275145.php


Ellie

thedrifter
07-30-04, 05:05 PM
August 02, 2004

‘99.9 percent need not apply’
Royal Marines recruit training designed to weed out unworthy



While the U.S. Marine Corps proclaims its need for a few good men, the Royal Marines are a bit more blunt about the caliber of recruits they seek.
Their recruiting slogan: “99.9 percent need not apply.”

The force, while some say not as overtly patriotic as U.S. Marines, is equally as elite.

To earn the right to wear the signature Royal Marine green beret, all recruits, except for those in the Royal Marine Band Service, must prove their grit in a grueling 32-week basic training course at the Commando Training Center at Lympstone, Devon, in southeast England.

The eight-month course is one of the longest military boot camps in the world. The capstone is a 10-day exercise replete with section attacks and night ambushes, a seven-mile obstacle course through muddy bogs and water tunnels, a nine-mile speed march while carrying 21 pounds of gear and the “Tarzan Assault” aerial obstacle course.

The Tarzan course includes a 30-foot rope climb, performed while carrying 22 pounds of gear.

Of course, that’s all before the 30-mile speed march while carrying 30 pounds of equipment over intense terrain.

Officers and enlisted men train together at Lympstone. The enlisteds must finish the final 30-miler in eight hours, while officers must knock it out in seven.

Because they have far fewer motorized assets than the U.S. Marine Corps, Royals are known to “yomp” everywhere, meaning they move about training ranges and battlefields on foot — often with 100-pound rucksacks on their backs.

As far as weaponry is concerned, every Marine is trained on all personal weapons and some small mortars.

From their standard SA80A Heckler and Koch assault rifle, to the Minimi General Purpose Machine Gun, a 51mm mortar and the 94mm light anti-tank weapon, every Marine is prepared to use a variety of weapons.

After graduating, Royal Marines touch on this training every month and are tested once a year.

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=1-MARINEPAPER-275146.php


Ellie

MillRatUSMC
07-30-04, 06:32 PM
Maybe the Royal Marines of this site, can tell us the difference of the present Royal Marines as compared to the Royal Marines in Korea.
In the book "Breakout, The Chosin Reservoir Campaign, Korea 1950", its states;
American Marines talking about the Royal Marines...
"they looked so neat and clean and military shipshape that some of us were embarrassed by the way we looked. We were all filthy, with ripped parkas that had lard all over the front from spilled C-rations. Our hair was matted, our faces, bearded and grimy, our lips cracked. Washing and shaving hadn't been a big piority over the last several days."
Col Davis than had those American Marines shape up as must as possible and they marched in some sing the Marine Corps hymn.
I could go on with more of the Royal Marines in Korea but I think you get the idea of what I'm trying to say.
The Royal Marines have always been careful of taking care of their kit...

Semper Fidelis/Semper Fi
Ricardo

steve evans
08-01-04, 04:38 AM
Royal Marines whenever they can will ensure that all their kit is clean and servicable. Likewise themselves. Anybody can be a Crabby barsteward. But that isnt the way with us.

Sometimes however you could find yourself in a situation where you are on covert Ops (Sniping team or some such) where the objective is to remain undectected so personel hygene must take a back seat or the enemy could suss you out.

The classic case of this was on an exercise once on Salisbury Plain. An Army platoon was sussed out by Royal due to the overpowereing smell of deoderants! It seemed that Percy Pongo (Army) instead of washing was keeping himself nice and alluring by dousing himself in smellies!

The British Army has the moninker PONGO. Hence the old saying everywhere the Army go's the Pong gos! Once I was attached to an Army unit and blew big time when I was pulled into this Army Officers office and asked why I had not signed the shower book!

Turned out that this was the policy for this particular Army unit. I informed the Perce Officer that he could go and F**k himself if he thought I was going lower myself to his less than perfect standards. I got the point across and they left me alone after that. Bootnecks are taught from day one that Cleaniness is next to Godliness, And woe betide any Bootneck who gets called a Crab by his fellow Marines. His life will become unbearable I kid you not.

Steve Evans