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    Marines Conduct Back in the Saddle Training

    Marines Conduct Back in the Saddle Training

    Photo By Sgt. Emmanuel Necoechea | Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton Marines conduct a conditioning hike as part of...... read more read more

    MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, CA, UNITED STATES

    01.05.2016

    Story by Pfc. Emmanuel Necoechea 

    Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

    MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – More than 200 Marines from Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton conducted "back in the saddle" training here, Jan. 5.

    The training was designed to bring Marines back up to speed after the holidays and covered health, personal safety and unit safety. It also provided an opportunity for the Marines to focus on esprit de corps through a conditioning hike and a paintball competition.

    “Basically, it entails several classes, not just annual training, that is very pertinent to what the Marines are going to face on a day-to-day basis,” said Maj. Jesse McKeeman, the director of safety with Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton.

    Marines are required to take the classes twice a year: Once during winter and once in summer. The classes cover a range of topics, including promotions and awards, hazing, equal opportunity, education and sexual assault prevention.

    In addition, the Marines were briefed on the Operational Risk Management process, which taught them how to respond to situations that may arise during all Marine Corps activities, including joint, multinational and interagency environments.

    "Doing this training on a regular basis, twice a year, is simply a way to get practice and to get the knowledge ingrained into your system so that the muscle memory is there when something happens,” said McKeeman. “The Marines will have something to fall back on.”

    The Marines finished off their training with a six-mile hike in the rain, with about 4,000 feet of elevation changes, and a free-for-all, single-elimination paintball competition between teams within the unit.

    “Being able to come together like this as a unit and do a hike right after the holidays really helps build morale,” said Lance Cpl. Kyle Larrick, an aviation ordnance systems technician with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton. “I’m not too excited about the rain.”

    “There’s sections in the Marine Corps that don’t get to do this more often, but this is what makes us Marines,” added McKeeman.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 01.05.2016
    Date Posted: 01.06.2016 14:16
    Story ID: 185706
    Location: MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US

    Web Views: 335
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN