Jungle Survival Training Brings Together Malaysian Rangers, U.S. Marines at CARAT
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS090629-18
Release Date: 6/29/2009 4:52:00 PM
By Lance Cpl. Tyler J. Hlavac, Commander, Task Group 73.5 Public Affairs
JERAM SISIK, Malaysia (NNS) -- Malaysian Army Rangers and U.S. Marines endured a four-day jungle survival exercise, Wira Eagle, as part of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Malaysia 2009.
The exercise concluded June 25 with soldiers from the 8th Royal Ranger Regiment and Marines from 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment conducting an early-morning simulated joint attack on a mock enemy base.
"Our assault was quick and smooth, thanks to our training and the help of the Rangers," said U.S. Marine Sgt. Scott Millsap, a 1st Battalion squad leader. "I don't think the 'enemy' expected us to be that fast and aggressive, which allowed us to suffer no casualties."
The Malaysian Rangers are an elite jungle fighting force of the Malaysian Army. Rangers trace their origins back to Sarawak Rangers, who were composed of East Malaysian trackers gathered by the British military to help resist the Japanese Imperial Army during the occupation of Malaysia in World War II.
On the first day of the exercise, Marines moved from dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) to the Jeram Sisik jungle region, and quickly established a command post and sent their four platoons out into the jungle to establish small patrol bases.
There, Marines were joined by the 8th Royal Ranger Regiment, who lived and worked alongside the Marines for the duration of the training. Accustomed to operating in the jungle, which covers about 70 percent of Malaysia, Rangers provided guidance to Marines and helped them establish positions and gain their bearings in the jungle.
During the following two days, Marines attended classes hosted by Rangers, who taught basic points of survival and combat in the jungle, including how to patrol, build traps and snares, build and develop a shelter and what food to eat while in the jungle.
"We relied heavily on the rangers to lead us through the beginning of the training," said Millsap. "We learned many techniques from them that helped us develop a better understanding of the jungle and appreciation while maneuvering through it."
Using their newly acquired skills and the cover of darkness, Rangers and Marines silently maneuvered through the jungle on the exercise's final day and led an attack on the mock "Orange Force" enemy base with small arms and simulated mortars/ The simulated attack resulted in the defeat of a dug-in enemy squad with no friendly casualties.
Although the training only lasted a few days,U.S. Marines found themselves walking away with valuable skills and experiences.
"During the training I gained a lot of respect for the environment and how hard it is to operate in a jungle environment," said Lance Cpl. John Breen, a squad automatic weapon gunner for 1st Battalion. "It was also great to work and live alongside a foreign military and learn everything from how they operate to what they do for fun."
Malaysian Army Maj. Norul Hisyam, the second-in-command for the 8th Royal Ranger Regiment, said the Rangers also benefited from knowledge gained through interaction by his forces with the Marines about their experiences in combat.
"I encourage my Rangers to ask the Marines about their time in the most recent engagements," Norul said. "We appreciate the opportunity to cross-train with the Marines and learn more about the way they fight, such as the Global Strategic Positioning of their gear to most recent experiences involving counter-insurgency techniques and tactics. The Rangers always look forward to training with the Marines."
CARAT is an annual series of bilateral maritime training exercises between the United States and Southeast Asian nations designed to enhance the operational readiness of the participating forces.
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