MCAGCC TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- The sun rises as Marines begin to wake from the few hours of sleep they were able to fit in after a grueling day yesterday.
The Marines gear up and load onto assault amphibian vehicles to begin their ride out to a town known to be an insurgent stronghold.
The desert sun beams down onto the Marines as they get the order to load their weapons and prepare to rock and roll. The vehicle comes to a stop, ramps go down and the Marines begin their rush to the town to clear it of any hostile forces.
This was the scenario for Marines and Sailors assigned to Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Nov. 16, during a DAC live fire exercise.
"This was the closest you can get to reality," said Lance Cpl. Travis Sears, squad leader, 3rd squad, 3rd platoon, Golf Company, 2/3. "The whole exercise went really well."
As the Marines rushed their way through the city, communication between the Marines was crucial to make their training a success.
"The fact that we lost comm made it challenging," said Sears, a 22-year-old native of Summerfield, Fla. "It's 100 percent essential. If you don't have comm you don’t know what's going on around you with the other squads, but we were able to use hand and arm signals to get the job done."
For many Marines assigned to Golf Company, this is their first time training in the Mojave Desert and this exercise was a great learning tool for their first deployment.
"I liked it a lot because I got to see everything come together," said Pfc. Jason M. Deal, squad automatic weapon gunner, 3rd squad, 3rd platoon, Golf Company, 2/3, and a 25-year-old native of Clover, SC. "This was the first time that I was able to see everything come together. Seeing the tanks, AAVs and mortars, it was motivating. Based on how we did during the DAC, I think that we'll do well in Iraq."
As events in Iraq have calmed down, the Marines are reminded the training they receive is not only for Iraq.
"As our seniors have told us, we are training for war, not Iraq," Sears said. "Everything that we are learning here is geared toward fighting battles and winning wars."
The Marines are currently participating in the Mojave Viper Exercise to prepare for an upcoming deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
As the Marines continue their training, they are ready to live by their company motto and are "ready to dare all."