thedrifter
08-28-06, 06:14 PM
Company B Marines Have Trained For Latest Mission In Iraq
By Dustin Grove, grove@wsbt.com
(WSBT) 130 Marines from our area are back in Iraq as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. For some, it's their second tour in three years. South Bend's Marine Company B will spend the next seven months in Iraq.
For the last five weeks, they trained at Southern California's Camp Pendleton.
Each day, before the fog clears, and the sun shines over the foothills of southern California, the Marines of Company B have already been up for hours, preparing for what they call a marathon mission.
They will clear driving routes for coalition forces; dismantle barricades and find and blow up roadside bombs; an intense mission that requires intense training.
They've also prepared for the conditions in Iraq. It's up to 135 degrees there and while that's a dry heat, they're also wearing - on average - 50 pounds of equipment.
For about 30 of these Marines, it will be their second time in Iraq in just three years.
Even though they're in Iraq, they will still spend the next two weeks doing what you could call "on the job training." They'll meet up and train with the Marine unit they'll eventually replace.
Ellie
By Dustin Grove, grove@wsbt.com
(WSBT) 130 Marines from our area are back in Iraq as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. For some, it's their second tour in three years. South Bend's Marine Company B will spend the next seven months in Iraq.
For the last five weeks, they trained at Southern California's Camp Pendleton.
Each day, before the fog clears, and the sun shines over the foothills of southern California, the Marines of Company B have already been up for hours, preparing for what they call a marathon mission.
They will clear driving routes for coalition forces; dismantle barricades and find and blow up roadside bombs; an intense mission that requires intense training.
They've also prepared for the conditions in Iraq. It's up to 135 degrees there and while that's a dry heat, they're also wearing - on average - 50 pounds of equipment.
For about 30 of these Marines, it will be their second time in Iraq in just three years.
Even though they're in Iraq, they will still spend the next two weeks doing what you could call "on the job training." They'll meet up and train with the Marine unit they'll eventually replace.
Ellie