thedrifter
03-03-08, 08:42 AM
Marines adjust to snow in S. Korea
By Jimmy Norris, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Tuesday, March, 4, 2008
RODRIGUEZ RANGE, South Korea — Based in California’s Mojave Desert — and veterans of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan — the 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division warriors knew they would find new terrain in South Korea.
But they weren’t ready for snow in March.
“The one day I forget my Gortex,” cold weather gear, said Staff Sgt. Thomas Johnson on Sunday.
But he wasn’t about to let the snow slow his training down.
“Any clime, any place,” he said, before tossing a few new orders to his Marines. “Get those machine guns down. I don’t want them to get all wet and rusty. Get that muzzle plug in place.”
For many of the desert-based Marines, training in the snow was a new experience.
“It was kind of cool,” said Pfc. Chad Lee, of the Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.
“Usually we train in warm, hot weather. It’s not as stale.” Lee said.
And while he prefers warmer weather, the snow taught him to carry better gloves in the field, and to watch his step.
“I was walking to the 203 (grenade launcher) with all my rounds in my Kevlar and I slipped on the ice and all my rounds fell on the ground,” he said. “It was embarassing.”
Lance Cpl. Jacob Lange, also of the LAR battalion, also tried to play it cool.
“It was alright. It was different,” he said. “It was a little colder than what we’re used to."
Despite the Marines’ determination to tough it out, the weather took a toll.
Mortars that were meant to be fired that day were covered because the foggy weather made the targets impossible to see and vehicles didn’t move as far along some roads as they normally would have.
Ellie
By Jimmy Norris, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Tuesday, March, 4, 2008
RODRIGUEZ RANGE, South Korea — Based in California’s Mojave Desert — and veterans of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan — the 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division warriors knew they would find new terrain in South Korea.
But they weren’t ready for snow in March.
“The one day I forget my Gortex,” cold weather gear, said Staff Sgt. Thomas Johnson on Sunday.
But he wasn’t about to let the snow slow his training down.
“Any clime, any place,” he said, before tossing a few new orders to his Marines. “Get those machine guns down. I don’t want them to get all wet and rusty. Get that muzzle plug in place.”
For many of the desert-based Marines, training in the snow was a new experience.
“It was kind of cool,” said Pfc. Chad Lee, of the Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.
“Usually we train in warm, hot weather. It’s not as stale.” Lee said.
And while he prefers warmer weather, the snow taught him to carry better gloves in the field, and to watch his step.
“I was walking to the 203 (grenade launcher) with all my rounds in my Kevlar and I slipped on the ice and all my rounds fell on the ground,” he said. “It was embarassing.”
Lance Cpl. Jacob Lange, also of the LAR battalion, also tried to play it cool.
“It was alright. It was different,” he said. “It was a little colder than what we’re used to."
Despite the Marines’ determination to tough it out, the weather took a toll.
Mortars that were meant to be fired that day were covered because the foggy weather made the targets impossible to see and vehicles didn’t move as far along some roads as they normally would have.
Ellie