Courtesy Photo | Corpsmen from across the Navy gather for a group photo during Integrated Training...... read more read more
TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — More than 70 Navy corpsmen from across the country, including several from Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Twentynine Palms, supported Marines during a recent Integrated Training Exercise (ITX) held aboard the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) in June.
ITX is a service-level, live-fire, combined arms exercise designed to enhance combat readiness and lethality for the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF). The 31-day exercise prepares units for deployment by testing command and control, tactical operations, and the ability to sustain high-intensity combat scenarios.
Among the participating Sailors was Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (HM1) Juan C. Garcia, a Fleet Marine Force and Expeditionary Warfare (FMF/EXW) qualified corpsman from El Paso, Texas, who deployed as part of the Navy Medicine Augmentation Program (NMAP). Alongside Garcia were six corpsmen from NMRTC Twentynine Palms, including Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (HM2) Paige A. Pierce, HM1 Evan S. Knisley, Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class (HM3) Brandon G. Martin, HM3 Jose I. Valenzuela, and HM2 Daniel R. Wierzbicki, with the latter three reporting from China Lake and Bridgeport detachments. The remainder of the roughly 70 participating corpsmen were sourced from NMRTCs across the country.
Garcia emphasized the significance of NMAP in bridging manpower gaps during large-scale exercises like ITX.
“I along with over 70 other augments were part of the Navy Medicine Augmentation Program (NMAP), which is critical to support units that are struggling with manpower such as the Reserves,” said Garcia. “We provided this year’s unit, the 25th Marine Regiment, with the crucial medical staffing and support they needed to conduct a successful exercise.”
During ITX, corpsmen operated in both simulated and real-world medical environments. They supported live-fire ranges, responded to casualty scenarios at Forward Battalion Aid Stations (BAS), and treated Marines at the Regimental Aid Station (RAS). The training included realistic simulations of combat-related injuries such as heat casualties, trauma-level amputations, and fractures, as well as routine daily sick call cases.
Garcia noted the dual nature of their mission — training for combat medicine while simultaneously delivering real-time medical support to Marines and Sailors on the ground.
“In total, the medical team was responsible for the evacuation of over 35 real-world casualties to both Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms and multiple civilian hospitals in the area, depending on the level of care needed,” Garcia said.
For HM2 Paige Pierce, the most difficult part of ITX wasn’t the medical procedures, but the unforgiving environment. The unique desert environment of MCAGCC has historically been leveraged to replicate the often austere, rugged conditions of combat zones, particularly those found in the Middle East and Southwest Asia, such as Afghanistan and Iraq. Summer temperatures in the Mojave Desert can reach well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit with occasional extreme temperatures of 115 and higher.
“The biggest challenge I faced was adjusting to being outside constantly in the extreme heat and making sure that I took care of myself in it so I can take care of my Marines,” said Pierce.
Despite the harsh conditions, both Garcia and Pierce expressed a deep sense of fulfillment working alongside Marines in the field. Garcia, who has spent the majority of his career with Marine units, spoke candidly about the camaraderie he’s experienced.
“For me personally, I love being with Marines. It allows me to practice my craft daily as a corpsman and I know what my purpose is — protect the health and wellbeing of my Marines,” he said. “There is also a different level of camaraderie that the USMC has, as well as a different level of respect they have for corpsmen once you show your worth.”
Pierce echoed the sentiment.
“I love working alongside the Marines, they are all so proud of what they do and have no fear because they know when they yell ‘Corpsman up!’ it will be answered,” she said. “You’re also all ‘going through the suck together’ as they say, so it is very bonding in a way.”
The exercise also served as a potential wake-up call for some junior Sailors who had never experienced the operational side of Navy Medicine. Garcia explained how participation in ITX helped reshape perceptions of serving alongside Marines in the field.
“For some, ITX is the first time they get to see what greenside (serving in Marine units) is like and allows them to make better career decisions. We had a few junior Sailors this year participate that were a bit scared of greenside life. However, by the end of the exercise, they wanted to go to a Marine unit for their next duty station,” Garcia said.
Both corpsmen said they walked away from the experience with a renewed sense of the importance of their role and the need for constant readiness.
“Every corpsman needs to always remain a master of their craft and maintain a certain level of fitness regardless of what your current billet is,” Garcia emphasized. “Our job is to save lives, and we can’t do that if we don’t maintain a basic level of fitness readiness or do the basics of tactical medicine.”
Pierce added that the exercise showed her the value each team member brings, regardless of rank or specialty.
“From the most experienced doctor in the room to the brand-new hospitalman recruit, everyone brings an important role to the team and has something to teach the group,” she said.
When asked what advice they’d give to corpsmen considering participation in ITX or similar exercises, both were enthusiastic.
“I would say, ‘embrace the suck’ — there is always something to learn,” said Garcia. “You might think you are good at something you did in school years ago, just to go to an exercise like ITX and realize you are not as good as you think you are.”
Pierce also encouraged other corpsmen to take part in the exercise, emphasizing the value of the experience.
“1000% do it. There are some tough parts to it, but getting to work alongside the Marines and helping them makes it all worth it,” she said.
Medical officers from NMRTC Twentynine Palms also were offered the opportunity to observe part of the training, with Lt. Jillian Dunbar from Elmhurst, Illinois and Lt. Christopher Barajas from Yorba Linda, Calif. attending a live-fire range event on June 15.
“Observing the ITX event provided valuable insight into the demands the Marines face in preparing, organizing, and conducting these live-fire events,” said Dunbar. “After the event ended, the Marines conducted a debrief that was insightful. It was refreshing to see how they held themselves accountable for any error or shortcoming.”
Barajas, who serves as an audiologist, said ITX helped improve his understanding of the real-world conditions his patients face.
“I have a newfound understanding of the type of noise exposure service members are exposed to during their training,” Barajas said. “This experience helped me fine-tune my approach toward hearing aid evaluations and diagnostic audiograms.”
Barajas encouraged other officers to participate if given the opportunity.
“They should absolutely participate,” he said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime type of opportunity to put yourself in place of the enlisted Marines and Sailors you will lead.”
As ITX concluded, the contributions of Navy corpsmen remained a crucial force multiplier in the Marines’ success. Through tireless support in unforgiving conditions, the Sailors of NMRTC Twentynine Palms and partnering commands reportedly demonstrated not only clinical skill, but the adaptability, grit, and spirit that define Navy Medicine in operational environments.
| Date Taken: | 06.30.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.30.2025 12:45 |
| Story ID: | 501895 |
| Location: | TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | EL PASO, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | ELMHURST, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | YORBA LINDA, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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