ITB [What to expect]

[rodriguez35]

•Week 1 – “Pick-Up Week”
•The first week of training at Infantry Training Battalion (ITB) is a mix of administrative in-processing and classroom instruction. Your Marine will receive his equipment and weapon, be assigned to his training platoon, meet his instructors and Company staff, and begin learning the basic fundamentals of the Marine Corps Infantry.
•This can be a highly stressful week for the Marines as they return from their 10 day leave period following boot camp. Marines will be given an opportunity to call their loved ones to let them know how they can be contacted, and to let their families know how they are doing. Policies regarding cell phones and other electronic communication devices vary slightly between each company, and your Marine will let you know when it is best to contact him.
•This initial week is generally when most Marines who are experiencing doubt about their decision to be an infantryman need the most support from their families. Instructors will also spend a significant amount of time mentoring and supporting your Marine through their first week.
•Major Events:
•Pick Up Day
•Battalion Commander/Sergeant Major Pick Up Brief (Students)
•Weapons and Gear Issue
•5K Conditioning Hike
•Note:
•Upon completion of each training week your Marine will usually be granted weekend liberty. The length and restrictions of weekend liberty periods vary from week to week based on training requirements and the discretion of the Company Commander. Although families are encouraged to visit their Marines during weekend liberty periods, Families should NOT make visitation plans until confirming with their Marine that they will be granted liberty. In some cases, individual Marines may not be granted weekend liberty due to rule infractions or the need to conduct remedial training or a reexamination.
•Week 2 – “Range Week”
•This is a grueling 5 day training week that will test your Marine’s physical limits. He will train and qualify on several Marine Corps weapon systems such as the M249 SAW, AT-4 Rocket Launcher, and M203 40mm grenade launcher. Long days, varying weather conditions, and a tough physical fitness schedule will teach your Marine how to deal with conditions similar to those faced in combat. The Company will spend the entire week sleeping in tents in the field and eating “Meals Ready to Eat” or, MREs.
•Major Events:
•M67 Hand Grenade Range
•M16 Field Zero/Table 3 Unknown distance/Light Anti-Armor Weapons Target Engagement
•Grenade Launcher Target Engagement
•Table 3 Day/Night
•SAW Live Fire
•Individual/Buddy Team Fire and Movement
•Phase I Written Exam (Sunday)
•
Week 3 – “LZ Parrot”
•During this week your Marine will be introduced to Marine Corps patrolling and defensive tactics as well as how to effectively combat Improvised Explosive Devices being used in Iraq and Afghanistan. This week is affectionately referred to as “LZ Parrot Week” because that is the name of the training area your Marine will be training in. He will be sleeping in fighting positions, patrolling through the Camp Lejeune swamps, and conducting ambushes in force on force training. This is an exciting week for your Marine as he begins to learn the “art of war” and applies his classroom and practical application training against his fellow Marines.
•Major Events:
•10K Conditioning Hike
•Defensive Practical Application Exercise
•Patrolling Practical Application Exercise
•
Week 4 – “CSRE”
•This is the final week of your Marine’s basic rifleman training. He will complete training in Military Operations on Urban Terrain (MOUT) and advanced Combat Marksmanship. The week culminates with the Common Skills Retention Exercise (CSRE), a grueling physical event that includes a 6 mile run and a 15km conditioning hike. Upon completion of the CSRE, your Marine will select his infantry Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). His choices of MOS include: 0311 Infantryman, 0331 Machinegunner, 0341 Mortarman, 0351 Assaultman, or 0352 Anti-Tank Missleman. Many of your Marines may have already signed their enlistment contract guaranteeing their assignment to a certain MOS.
•For the remainder of his time at ITB your Marine will focus specifically on his infantry specialty. At this point your Marines has completed the most challenging portion of his training at ITB and the mental and physical hardening marking his transition from Civilian to Infantry Marine is halfway complete.
•Major Events:
•15K Conditioning Hike
•Medium Machine Gun Target Engagement/Room Clearing (SESAMS)
•PEQ-16 Live Fire
•Table 4 Day/Night
•Common Skills Retention Exercise (CSRE)
•
Week 5 – “MOS Split”
•This is your Marines first week of his specialty training. For most of the Marines the majority of the week is spent receiving classroom instruction on the particulars of his MOS. 0311 Infantrymen will conduct 2 days of live fire training receiving advanced instruction and marksmanship training on the weapons systems they learned during week 2, “Range Week.”
•Major Events:
•Phase II Written Examination
•MOS Split
•Service Rifle Target Engagement Day/Night (0311)
•PSQ-18/M-32 Live Fire (0311)
•
Week 6 – “L-5”
•This is an exciting week for many of your Marines as it involves their first live fire training on their specialty weapon system. The 0331 Machinegunners, 0341 Mortarmen, and 0351 Assaultmen will conduct a combined total 4 days of live fire training on their specialty weapons. 0311 Infantrymen will conduct 4 days of offensive maneuver training at the L-5 training range. 0352 Anti-Tank Misslemen will continue to receive classroom instruction on their highly technical weapon system. The week culminates with the Marines completing the last of their 4 conditioning hikes, a 20km movement where many of the Marines can expect to carry up to 100lbs of weapons and equipment. Upon completion your Marine will have conducted over 50km of conditioning hikes with a full combat load.
•Major Events:
•SAW Live Fire (0311)
•Live Fire and Movement (0311)
•Medium Machine Gun Written Examination/Practical Examinations
• (0331)
•Medium Machine Gun Live Fire (0331)
•60mm Mortar Written Examination/Practical Examinations (0341)
•SMAW Written Examination (0351)
•SMAW Live Fire (0351)
•20K Conditioning Hike
•
Week 7 – “PEX Week”
•The Patrolling Exercise Week, or PEX, is an exhausting 72 hour field exercise during which the 0311 Infantrymen continue to develop their tactical skills during force on force patrol training. The 0311 Infantrymen are taught advanced field craft skills as they learn to live in remote patrol bases with little sleep or food. This exercise is meant not only to teach your Marine advanced infantry skills but also to harden his body and mind for the rigors of combat. The 0331 Machinegunners and 0351 Assaultmen also have an exciting week of live fire training as they continue to qualify on their specialty weapon systems. The 0341 Mortarmen and 0352 Anti-Tank Misslemen continue to receive classroom instruction.
•Major Events:
•PEX (0311)
•M2 .50 cal Machine Gun Written/Performance Examinations (0331)
•M2 .50 cal Machine Gun Live Fire (0331)
•60mm Mortar Live Fire (0341)
•Demolitions Written/Practical Examinations (0351)
•Demolitions Live Fire (0351)
•
Week 8 – “IIFEX”
•This is the final week of training at ITB. Your will complete advanced urban combat training and take a final exam to demonstrate mastery of his MOS skills. The 0352 Anti-Tank misslemen will also conduct their first, and only, live fire exercise in addition to live fire training events for the 0331 Machinegunners, 0341 Mortarmen, and 0352 Assaultmen. By the end of the week your Marine will have completed all the required training and qualifications he needs to graduate ITB and earn his MOS. The final week of training culminates with the Infantry Integration Field Exercise or, IIFEX. The IIFEX is a 72 hour field exercise which includes patrolling, defensive, and offensive operations. Unlike prior field exercises during which your Marines has only trained with other Marines of his MOS, this field exercise is specifically designed to demonstrate how all of the infantry MOS are used together during combat operations.
•Major Events:
•Station Training (0311)
•Infantry Rifleman Written Examination (0311)
•MK-19 Written/Performance Examinations (0331)
•MK-19 Live Fire (0331)
•81mm Mortar Written/Performance Examinations (0341)
•81mm Mortar Live Fire (0341)
•Armor Identification Written Examination (0351)
•Mobility/Breeching Written Examination (0351)
•Mobility/Breeching Live Fire (0351)
•Warrior Case Study
•IIFEX Preparations
•IIFEX Confirmation Brief with Battalion Commander
•IIFEX
•
Week 9 – “Graduation”
•Congratulations! You should be proud of your Marine! He has just completed a challenging 59-day training schedule which has led to this moment…GRADUATION. The final week consists mostly of check-out procedures and preparation for graduation. Your Marine will spend most of his week cleaning and preparing his weapon and equipment for final inspection and turn-in. It is an exciting, yet stressful, week as your Marines anticipates arriving to his newly assigned unit. Again, your support during his last days at ITB is crucial in helping him make the final transition from student to Fleet Marine. Loved ones are highly encouraged to attend the graduation ceremony to support their Marine (Graduation information, to include time, location and direction, can be found on this website.)
•Information about your Marine’s new unit, including directions, will be available at the graduation ceremony. Upon completion of the ceremony your Marine will no longer be a member of Infantry Training Battalion, and will be subject to his new unit’s liberty policies and timelines. Generally, Marines will have between 1-2 hours of time to visit with their families while preparing for transportation to their new unit. Specific information about your Marine’s graduation will be sent via mail 1-2 weeks prior to the actual graduation day.





i found this on http://www.marines.mil/units/hqmc/te...es/Expect.aspx

[Capital M]

Good post. buttt, ITB is a next step.

We have 13 weeks of boot camp. Might be getting a little head yourself

[rodriguez35]

i dont think that matters when its information. that is wat the Poolee section is for... Information. and i would like to know what im in for.

[Hartford]

A good informative read even though I'll be going to MCT.