KAHUKU TRAINING AREA, Hawaii -- The Marines of 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment conducted a battalion field exercise here and at Schofield Barracks in preparation for their upcoming deployment this summer to Okinawa, Japan as part of the Unit Deployment Program.The training, which began April 23 and concluded Sunday, was the battalion's last opportunity to train in the field prior to their deployment."What we wanted to do was get back out to the field as part of our UDP preparation," said Lt. Col. Joseph L. Osterman, 1/3 commanding officer. "This was the last chance we had to get out and conduct tactical maneuvers."The training here consisted of squad patrols through the vegetation and hills of the training area. When different squads encountered each other, it often resulted in firefights using blank ammunition.When the battalion moved to Schofield Barracks, the Marines conducted a variety of training. The companies conducted company-size live-fire and maneuver training which included live-fire training in the grenade house, weapons live-fire on firing ranges, humanitarian assistance missions, security operations, and concluded with a military operations in urban terrain package at the Schofield MOUT town.The grand finale of the training evolution was the MOUT training. It took place in a town that had been taken over by a simulated enemy (other 1/3 Marines), the townspeople had been driven from their homes and it was the job of one company to liberate the town, provide security and begin to let the townspeople back in to their village.Each company was required to go through the exercise. The facilitators did not make it easy for the Marines; they constantly input complex and potentially dangerous scenarios in order to test the way the Marines reacted.On Sunday, the final day of the field exercise, it was Charlie Company's turn to secure the village. The morning was set ablaze with gunfire as blank rounds went off violently around the tiny town. The roads were choked with thick multicolored smoke billowing from the dozens of smoke grenades thrown by the Marines to conceal their violent entrance into the town. Individual Marines darted to and from cover as the majority of the forces remained concealed. The explosions of flash-bang grenades echoed from inside the building as enemy forces steadily backed out of the village, fleeing from the Marines' furious assault with every ounce of strength they could muster in their desperate fight for self-preservation.Once the town was rid of every enemy, the Marines began to set up security. A notional fence was erected around the town, a front gate was established as the only way in or out of the city, a building was converted into a detention center for violent locals and a building was taken over and transformed into the company's command post.The company had to learn how to respond to many different scenarios throughout the day. Some of the scenario's they encountered were gangs fighting with each other outside the city's perimeter, the robbing of a relief organization's food truck, rioting townspeople and even a suicide bomber at the gate.Through all the training, the Marines consistently performed well, doing their job to the highest caliber."The Marines' performance was outstanding," said Lt. Col. Osterman. "I was very pleased with them, they demonstrated the professionalism we need to go out and conduct our missions while we are on UDP."The training was also of great benefit to the small unit leaders, those who are the most directly involved with their Marines. The squad leaders and fire team leaders were part of the focus of the training, and successfully carried out their mission at all times."The training was designed to train our small unit leaders for the types of missions we expect during our deployment and possible contingency operations," said Lt. Col. Osterman. "During the training, the small unit leaders were particularly strong."The exercise not only taught a great deal to the small unit leaders, but also offered a lot of knowledge to the junior Marines."I learned a lot from the MOUT training, and the rest of the week was also really interesting. It taught me a lot," said Pfc. Rob W. Bacon, an anti-tank assaultman with Charlie Co.The 1/3 field exercise also offered a lot of excitement and motivation to the Marines prior to their deployment."This was really motivating," said Lance Cpl. Andre M. Abadie, a rifleman with Charlie Co.The Marines of 1/3 are now better prepared than ever for their upcoming deployment thanks to the information and training obtained during their field exercise.