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    Marine Corps Musicians Hanging from Ropes

    Marine Corps Musicians Hanging from Ropes

    Photo By Cpl. Matt Myers | First Lt. Ryan J. Moore is hoisted towards the ceiling in a makeshift harness during a...... read more read more

    POHANG , 27, SOUTH KOREA

    03.16.2015

    Story by Cpl. Matt Myers 

    III Marine Expeditionary Force   

    MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CAMP, South Korea – “RAPPEL!” The shouts of rappelling Marines echo through a South Korean camp. Many of the U.S. Marines are sweating and breathing heavy from pushups before running up six flights of stairs to the top of the rappel tower. For this group of Marines, their day is just beginning.

    The Marines with the III Marine Expeditionary Force Band and other III MEF units trained at the Republic of Korea Mountain Warfare Training Camp in Pohang, Republic of Korea, March 16 during exercise Key Resolve 2015.

    The camp is the premier training center for South Korean forces whose location requires proficiency in mountain survival and warfare skills. Training there includes rappelling, knot tying and rock climbing techniques.

    As part of the Korea and U.S. alliance, Republic of Korea Marines invited the U.S. forces to attend some of their training to trade skills and ideas and celebrate their shared brotherhood.

    “The III MEF Band has been training here in Korea for the last three weeks now to enhance our capabilities for our secondary mission of camp security,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Michael R. Montoya, the bandmaster for the band. “Whenever our band is forward deployed we perform security for the general, his staff and the combat operations center.”

    For the majority of the U.S. Marines, the week-long course is their first experience with mountain warfare training.

    “Today we are afforded the opportunity to train with the ROK Marines,” said Montoya, from Virginia Beach, Virginia. “We jumped on that opportunity because with our secondary training mission we don’t often get this type of training afforded to us. So, as Marines, we are really excited to train and participate in such an awesome training experience.”

    Although the U.S. Marines attending the course range from junior enlisted to field grade officer, all are treated like recruits in boot camp.

    “Sometimes it’s weird because they are yelling at us in Korean and we aren’t sure what they are saying, but most of the time there’s a translator and he yells at us in English,” said Lance Cpl. Daniel J. O’Brian, a trumpet player in the band.

    Similar to U.S. Marine Corps boot camp, the students in the course familiarized themselves with the repetitive order of the training schedule and gradually performed tasks faster as the days passed.

    “The course got better as we went along,” said O’Brian, from Waynesville, Missouri. “I’ve never done anything like this before but I’m really happy I’m here.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 03.16.2015
    Date Posted: 04.13.2015 23:17
    Story ID: 159890
    Location: POHANG , 27, KR
    Hometown: FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, US
    Hometown: VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, US
    Hometown: WAYNESVILLE, MO, US

    Web Views: 126
    Downloads: 0

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