Marines battle bitter cold
2/3 joins forces with JGSDF for Forest Light
USMC News
Story Identification Number: 2003225184931
Story by Sgt. Nathan K. LaForte
HOKKAIDO, Japan -- Soldiers of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's 25th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division, Northern Army, lined the entryway of Camp Engaru here and waited in the bitter cold, to welcome their counterparts to Forest Light 03-2 recently.
The regiment of Japanese soldiers anxiously waited to join forces with the Marines of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division.
The battalion of nearly 650 Marines is currently in the Pacific region as part of the Marine Corps Unit Deployment Program. The battalion has detached a battalion-minus sized force of about 170 Marines to take part in the second portion of the bilateral exercise, which will take place in Camps Engaru and Kamifurano.
Every year, two of these exercises take place with the first one involving a battalion of Marines and the second involving a reinforced company. The first exercise was held October of last year and the second kicked off Feb. 17 at Camp Engaru.
"We have a unique opportunity here with the soldiers of the JGSDF," said Maj. Paul L. Muller, executive officer, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and commanding officer of Marine Forces at Forest Light 03-2. "Frequently, allies will be close to each other and never even bother to train together."
Muller, a United States Naval Academy graduate, stated that he felt allied forces should train together, which is exactly what brought both forces together.
Both forces will take part in an intense training schedule in order to prepare for combined operations in an extreme cold weather environment.
The exercise is broken into two phases of training. The first phase is for honing skills and bilateral cooperation, and the second phase is a comprehensive field training exercise using skills learned from the first phase.
The first phase of training combines infantry tactics, deep-snow movements and cold-weather survival techniques to prepare both forces for the second phase of training, which will incorporate these skills in the field training exercise. The first phase will take place at Camp Engaru with the second at Camp Kamifurano.
A live-fire portion with scout snipers providing forward observation will take place during the second phase before and during the field training exercise.
According to Muller, the biggest challenge Marines will face is the extreme cold, but he has high hopes for the success of the training.
"Because we are from Hawaii, we don't get the opportunity to train in cold weather," Muller stated. "The Japanese units out here are the experts at that, so we hope to learn a lot from our friends."
High hopes are afloat throughout the whole contingent of warriors, from Japanese to American, private to major. Optimism for the exercise is a common thread.
Lance Cpl. Clayton G. Powell, motor transport assistant line noncommissioned officer, Headquarters and Service Company, received good feelings when he arrived for training.
"When we got to Engaru, all the Japanese soldiers were in two big lines alongside the road," the Denver native said. "It was pretty intense when we got off the bus, and they were all cheering and clapping."
Powell, a Green Mountain High School graduate, noted the chilling cold but emphasized his unit's determination when faced with a challenge.
"This is a whole different world that the `Island Warriors' don't get to see," Powell said. "Despite the challenges, 2/3 (2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division) has come through everything. Nothing has stopped us yet, and we will keep that tradition alive."
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