Photo By Spc. John Reed | A U.S. Marine from 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, and a Royal...... read more read more
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SATTAHIP NAVAL BASE, Kingdom of Thailand - Zimbabwean author and philosopher Matshona Dhliwayo famously said, “The fittest animal survives the jungle; the weakest animal dies even if protected.” For the Marines of 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force and their counterparts with the Reconnaissance Battalion, Thai Marine Division, Royal Thai Marine Corps, jungle survival training here at Exercise Cobra Gold 2022 was about ensuring every Marine present was equipped with the skills and knowledge to endure a hostile environment for prolonged periods of isolation.
The Thai Jungle Warfare Survival Training, conducted Feb. 28, 2022 in Pattaya, brought together international partners from the U.S. and Thailand for realistic, life-saving exercises as part of the larger annual training event now in its 41st year.
“The jungle can be a very nasty, harsh, dangerous place,” said U.S. Marine Cpl. Bradley Mitchell, an assault amphibious vehicle crewman with 3rd AAB. “It's finding food, finding water, staying dry, keeping warm. The biggest things for survival.”
These lessons were paramount as the Thai Marine instructors engaged the troops with real-world scenarios and limited resources commensurate with the threat of isolation in a jungle environment.
“The forest in Thailand is still full of wild and venomous animals,” said Royal Thai Marine Corps Pvt. Kamon Mteartid, an instructor with Thai Reconnaissance Battalion. “[This training] helps you survive when you are lost in the jungle. You can survive in the jungle even when you are alone.”
Mteartid brought his years of experience to bear with his classes that emphasized identifying threats and employing practical survival methods, from cooking to fashioning clothing and building a shelter.
“I would say [this is] a once in a lifetime opportunity for anyone,” said U.S. Marine Pfc. Aaron Beltran, an assault amphibious vehicle crewman with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion. “Every Marine, no matter their [military occupational specialty], should participate in this wonderful experience. Everything is critical, but extracting water from various plants and differentiating what is good water to drink, that’s very important I believe to at least have a fighting chance.”
This training served as a familiarization experience to augment existing U.S. Marine skill sets. Marines operate routinely in austere jungle environments, and even have their own Jungle Warfare Training Center at Camp Gonsalves in Okinawa.
“It's always really important to seize the opportunity to learn something about different environments,” said Mitchell. “And it’s always useful.”
Themes of Cobra Gold include cooperation and cultural exchange. U.S. Marines worked earlier in the week training their Thai partners on amphibious assault maneuvers, leading to Thai instructors taking the lead for jungle survival training. This subject matter expert exchange has been a long-standing element of Cobra Gold since its inception in 1982, and continues to be a cornerstone of the Thai-U.S. alliance.
“It has been a beautiful experience,” said Beltran. “They’re very kind and generous hosts. My Thai brothers have shown us a different side of the world and a different side of how to approach things. This is a great opportunity to strengthen our bond together. They’re just wonderful people.”
| Date Taken: | 03.01.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.05.2022 04:17 |
| Story ID: | 415671 |
| Location: | LOP BURI, TH |
| Web Views: | 719 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, U.S., Thai Marines train for jungle survival during Cobra Gold 2022, by SGM Daniel Griego, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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