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FeMzZ
04-27-08, 12:02 PM
I saw some videos on youtube about this and i remember hearing about it on here once. From what i saw i got that its combat training for iraq and afganistan and its at 29 Palms. Can anyone else help me out here please? I am in DEP and going 0300 and i dont know much at all about this training. I couldnt find much info either. I dont even know where 29 Palms is is just know that Mojave Viper is pretty much the last step before combat

jrhd97
04-27-08, 01:55 PM
29 Palms is in the northern Mojave dessert in sunny left coast California. A couple hours from Camp Pendelton. It is on maps as the base consists of 900 some square miles. To the north is Big Bear Mountain.
Don't know anything about Mojave Viper.

Echo_Four_Bravo
04-27-08, 02:31 PM
Help you out with what? You'll go, you'll train, and then you'll leave. It is just another part in the training cycle. It has been geared toward what you will see in Iraq.

FeMzZ
04-27-08, 03:49 PM
Help you out with what? You'll go, you'll train, and then you'll leave. It is just another part in the training cycle. It has been geared toward what you will see in Iraq.

i meant as in has anyone here went through it already? I know theres something like a "humvee roll-over" simulator and i believe there is something like an Iraqi town and you have to go through it and perform given duties. I dont know mych, just what i saw in the videos and i would like to know more about it. Because seeming how i'm going to end up there anyway i would like to know where it is(already answered), how long i may be there for, do i go with my unit, etc...

Echo_Four_Bravo
04-27-08, 04:11 PM
Yes you go with your unit. It lasts about a month. Honestly, it should be the furthest thing from your mind. It will be quite some time before it matters, and your unit will let you know everything you need to know. But, here is story that may answer some of your questions.

Story (http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060125/news_1n25train.html)

zackmerc
04-27-08, 04:28 PM
Mjoave Viper is CAX (Combined Arms Exercise). You'll do intense combat training in the desert as well as exercises for urban warfare. You'll possibly work with air, tanks, and artillery. It is the last major training op before you deploy to Iraq. I wouldn't worry so much about CAX right now if I were you. You've got a long way to go.

Echo_Four_Bravo
04-27-08, 04:46 PM
One thing I forgot- and this is the most important part.

If you go in the summer it is REALLY HOT! I spent at least part of five summers in 29 Palms, and I hated just about every minute of it. Some of the stuff you do out there is a lot of fun, but when it is 115 degrees it is hard to think about it being fun.

FeMzZ
04-27-08, 05:02 PM
One thing I forgot- and this is the most important part.

If you go in the summer it is REALLY HOT! I spent at least part of five summers in 29 Palms, and I hated just about every minute of it. Some of the stuff you do out there is a lot of fun, but when it is 115 degrees it is hard to think about it being fun.

Well its something i have to do. Im leaving for MCRDPI on June 16th and graduate September 12th.....im sure i'll be used to drilling in the heat by then. Also, i was watching another video on youtube or the Parris Island 20080229 graduation and one of the comments said:

"God Bless you Gabe and all of our Marines!! Our son graduated with you on 2/29 and your video was inspirational to our own. Tim was in PLT 3021. He's now in 29 Palms. SEMPER FI!!
Tim's Mom and Dad"

Now, its been about 2 months since graduation and hes already training for combat. I guess it doesnt matter how long you've been in for

Echo_Four_Bravo
04-27-08, 05:09 PM
June at PI and the heat of 29 Palms is like comparing a golf ball to the moon saying that they are alike because they're round.

And he started training for combat the day he stood on the yellow footprints. Why would he not be sent to 29 Palms? Of course, you don't know that he is there for Mojave Viper either. He could be there in comm school, or he could be assigned to the 7th Marines, or to the tank battalion. There is more than just CAX on the base.

JoeSzynal
04-28-08, 04:27 AM
Femzz.. all the above info is correct for the most part.

I've been stationed in 29 Palms since '05. We did NTC up at Ft. Irwin before OIF 5 and then that was finally officially replaced with Mojave Viper for us before OIF 6. It is just over a month long and can take on a couple different forms depending on what unit you are in.

The Marines above who advised you to cross that bridge when it comes are right on. There are many training packages, ranges, rifle qual, swim qual, bn humps etc. before it will be your turn for Mojave Viper. Never hurts to ask though and that's why i'd like to give you some info.

I'm a vehicle commander/team leader with 3rd LAR so needless to say Mojave Viper for us was pretty involved. You are basically (outside of several periods of structured learning) operating as if you were in a theater of combat whether that is Iraq or Afghanistan.

There are hundreds of acres of training area out here that host a couple pretty serious MOUNT towns which are stocked with hundreds of natives from the middle east who play the roles of friend and foe. You will run all sorts of patrols and missions and find that you can get some damn good training out of the program and learn alot from the staff; having many opportunites to chat offline with them and pick their brains on anything from language and culture to current events.

The MOUNT towns are just one part of Viper as you will also be running and gunning all up and down the different ranges here at the stumps. You will do fire team, squad, platoon company and bn-sized operations. With all the training in mounted/dismounted patrolling, cqb, mount, land nav, weapons, op orders, languages, air, 9-lines, 6-lines etc... you are basically bringing all of your previous training together and putting it into practice.

Most importantly remember that for all intents and purposes, you are IN Iraq (or Afghanistan). It's a 24/7 op tempo so understand that it is intended to be as intense as a deployment to Iraq/Afghanistan. You will be exhausted, there are no timeouts (few exceptions), and you will be motivated to put it behind you quickly; only to step on the bus and deploy weeks later ;)

My above descriptions do not really do the program full justice as i'm hesitant to divulge ALL of the details in an effort to avoid getting into some opsec hot water. You should have enough though between the above and everything else that was said plus what you can find with a google search.

Let me know if you've got other specific questions.

Joe

FeMzZ
04-28-08, 03:27 PM
thanks alot. I just wanted to know about the training because i will eventually be there. It sounds very preparing for combat and from the videos i saw it will be good training. Im not worried about the heat though, i can take the heat because there are hundreds of ways whatever situation i am in can be worse besides the damn heat

rvillac2
04-28-08, 05:10 PM
June at PI and the heat of 29 Palms is like comparing a golf ball to the moon saying that they are alike because they're round.


ROFL.. too true.
Ever look into your oven to check on a pizza? Imagine stepping into it. With full battle gear. And then run around a bit. Then, dig a hole.

Echo_Four_Bravo
04-28-08, 07:40 PM
Heat is heat- not trying to make it sound too important. But I promise if you're there I promise you'll not take it so lightly. Any desert in the world is some place I don't want to be when it is hot.

As for the rest, we could give you a second by second schedule from the last unit to complete it... it won't mean much to you. It will be totally different when you get there- or it may not exist at all. (It could just become CAX again.) I know you're excited, but you really are getting ahead of yourself and trying to worry about the wrong things right now.

temarti
04-28-08, 08:26 PM
Ohh but it is a dry heat

JoeSzynal
04-28-08, 09:20 PM
Click here (http://picasaweb.google.com/redTwoActual/MojaveViper) for some Mojave Viper pics from last summer. There was a freelance photographer there who wanted to capture my buddies in some staged poses. I was in a tent sleeping so I missed out but a handful of the guys humored him. I heard there was some hesitation and they definitely got their balls busted afterward but there's actually some great shots in there.

drillinstructor
04-29-08, 01:07 PM
Femzz.. all the above info is correct for the most part.

I've been stationed in 29 Palms since '05. We did NTC up at Ft. Irwin before OIF 5 and then that was finally officially replaced with Mojave Viper for us before OIF 6. It is just over a month long and can take on a couple different forms depending on what unit you are in.

The Marines above who advised you to cross that bridge when it comes are right on. There are many training packages, ranges, rifle qual, swim qual, bn humps etc. before it will be your turn for Mojave Viper. Never hurts to ask though and that's why i'd like to give you some info.

I'm a vehicle commander/team leader with 3rd LAR so needless to say Mojave Viper for us was pretty involved. You are basically (outside of several periods of structured learning) operating as if you were in a theater of combat whether that is Iraq or Afghanistan.

There are hundreds of acres of training area out here that host a couple pretty serious MOUNT towns which are stocked with hundreds of natives from the middle east who play the roles of friend and foe. You will run all sorts of patrols and missions and find that you can get some damn good training out of the program and learn alot from the staff; having many opportunites to chat offline with them and pick their brains on anything from language and culture to current events.

The MOUNT towns are just one part of Viper as you will also be running and gunning all up and down the different ranges here at the stumps. You will do fire team, squad, platoon company and bn-sized operations. With all the training in mounted/dismounted patrolling, cqb, mount, land nav, weapons, op orders, languages, air, 9-lines, 6-lines etc... you are basically bringing all of your previous training together and putting it into practice.

Most importantly remember that for all intents and purposes, you are IN Iraq (or Afghanistan). It's a 24/7 op tempo so understand that it is intended to be as intense as a deployment to Iraq/Afghanistan. You will be exhausted, there are no timeouts (few exceptions), and you will be motivated to put it behind you quickly; only to step on the bus and deploy weeks later ;)

My above descriptions do not really do the program full justice as i'm hesitant to divulge ALL of the details in an effort to avoid getting into some opsec hot water. You should have enough though between the above and everything else that was said plus what you can find with a google search.

Let me know if you've got other specific questions.

Joe

It is funny to me to hear a recruit talk like this...Oh wait you have grown up and now are a Cpl of Marines. Semper Fi!!!

MotherGoose
04-29-08, 01:15 PM
Click here (http://picasaweb.google.com/redTwoActual/MojaveViper) for some Mojave Viper pics from last summer. There was a freelance photographer there who wanted to capture my buddies in some staged poses. I was in a tent sleeping so I missed out but a handful of the guys humored him. I heard there was some hesitation and they definitely got their balls busted afterward but there's actually some great shots in there.

Those shots are fantastic, wtf did they get their balls busted for? Those pics could be on a recruiting poster.

Echo_Four_Bravo
04-29-08, 01:26 PM
Those are some good pictures. The photographer knew what he was doing.