BRIDGEPORT, Calif. - Blinding snow during the day, bitter cold at night and the threat of attack at any moment added to the stress Ragnarok Company faced each day it spent in the mountains.
Marines and sailors with Ragnarok Co., 2nd Supply Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group conducted cold-weather operations during a field exercise while supporting 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division here, Jan. 31 to Feb. 5, 2014.
“The Marines are doing a lot here,” said 1st Lt. Owen T. Trotman, a platoon commander and assistant operations officer with the company. “The main thing is getting used to operating in extreme cold-weather environments and getting the benefits of the opportunity to train in the mountains, train our basic rifleman skills and provide logistics for 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines.”
Ragnarok Co. posted 24-hour security, conducted patrols and acted as a quick reaction force while operating against the fictional country of North Toiyabe, portrayed by MCMWTC instructors and members of Weapons Company, 2nd Bn., 2nd Marines.
“They’re building on the skills they learned during the basic mobility exercise and we’re getting a lot of use out of our scout skiers, who are leading patrols,” said Trotman, a Chesapeake, Va., native. “The Marines are getting a very good opportunity to work in defensive operations, building fortifications in the snow and cope with the conditions here, especially at night when the winds pick up.”
Marines holding perimeter security worked in shifts to ensure they were as fresh as possible in the harsh elements outside the relative warmth of their shelters, while the service members on patrol hiked through knee-deep snow in search of intelligence and signs of enemy movement to support the infantry.
“The main thing the Marines will take away from here is being flexible,” said Trotman. “They’re learning to be physically tough and mentally strong operating in this environment and understanding the complexity of operating throughout the various areas of support. They’re learning that it’s very difficult in the cold.”
The FEX marks the end of training operations for the company prior to Cold Response 2014 in Norway to work alongside 2nd Bn., 2nd Marines and NATO militaries in Norway.
“As we shift our focus from desert operations, we are going back to that old adage, ‘any clime, any place’,” said Trotman.