Ragnarok Co. hikes to prepare for upcoming mission

II Marine Expeditionary Force
Story by Lance Cpl. Sullivan Laramie

Date: 11.27.2013
Posted: 11.27.2013 12:51
News ID: 117490
Ragnarok Co. hikes to prepare for upcoming mission

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marines and sailors with Ragnarok Company, 2nd Supply Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group participated in a five-mile conditioning hike here Nov. 26.

The hike was intended to kick off the company’s training in preparation for Cold Response 2014, a joint exercise held in Norway among the militaries of participating NATO countries.

“I’m prepping you right now,” said Maj. Alfredo T. Romero II, an Albuquerque, N.M., native and the commanding officer of Ragnarok Co. to the Marines and sailors. “These hikes are going to get a little more intense and a little more aggressive.”

The unit’s involvement in the exercise allows the service members to experience new things as individual Marines and sailors, and as a company.

“We [will be] doing things the MLG has not done in a long time,” said Romero. “We are going to be the first unit with the MLG to do the mountain warfare winter package, and we’re going to be the first MLG unit to take gear out of the caves [in Norway], which has not been done since the 1990s.”

In addition to physical conditioning, the hike also provided an opportunity to build camaraderie within the new unit.

“Everything’s going to be a progressive increase until we are completely proficient at what we need to accomplish [the mission],” said company 1st Sgt. Damian P. Wright to the company after the hike. “The adversity, the hiking, the misery, the ‘Why am I here? Why am I here this early? Why am I so hungry? Why am I so wet and cold?’ – those are the things that every, single one of you are going to ask. When you come together, you’re going to realize that the Marines to the front, left, right and back of you are just as miserable, just as cold and just as hungry as you are.”

The company is scheduled to complete winter training aboard the Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, Calif., before participating in Cold Response 2014 for approximately 30 to 45 days.