BUKIT SAWAT, Brunei -- One hundred percent humidity and 99 degrees Fahrenheit enclosed by a jungle canopy makes skin moist with sweat, while standing still. Ants the size of a thumb and blue and green spiders tell a stranger they have entered a foreign environment.
More than 35 Marines from the Landing Force participating in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Brunei 2010, entered the jungle of Brunei with the Royal Brunei Landing Force (RBLF) May 4-7 to train, learn and exchange jungle warfare tactics and knowledge.
“It’s a great training experience,” said Cpl. Kyle Brockman, 2nd Squad Leader, Weapons Platoon, Company A, native of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. “It’s something not a lot of Marines get to experience. It takes us out of our comfort zone; we’re used to the desert but here we’re in the jungle, movement is slower and the humidity is ridiculous.”
The goal of this training exercise was not only to learn and exchange jungle warfare tactics, but to build working and personal relationships with the RBLF soldiers. The training included jungle survival, land navigation, reconnaissance and assault.
“It’s challenging but rewarding,” Brockman said. “Most of us didn’t know what it was going to be like, but we all volunteered so it shows that we are willing to come out and better ourselves as a Marine force.”
During the survival portion, soldiers from the RBLF taught Marines how to make their own shelters using resources in the jungle, make traps for food, build a fire and cook food when it is caught.
The Marines and soldiers were dropped off at the start point of the land navigation course more that five kilometers away from their base camp. Both spent more than 10 hours in the jungle, plotting points on a map and using a compass to hike to each designated spot.
The last two days of training were spent preparing assault and assaulting a known enemy position. The RBLF soldiers and Marines were integrated for the assault, which strengthened their cohesiveness as a joint fighting force.
“Interacting with the Brunei soldiers in the jungle allows us to not only bring back the hard work it takes to train in the jungle but we were able to learn from the Brunei soldiers,” said Staff Sgt. David West, Weapons Platoon sergeant, Company A. “After this experience, my Marines will know how to be better prepared when going out into the jungle.”
Throughout the training, the Marines and RBLF soldiers were able to build working relationships and learn cultural differences about each other on a personal basis.
“I enjoy it, it’s my first time,” said Cpl. Giman Raziman, squad leader, Delta Company, RBLF. “Training in the jungle, we exchange American tactics and Brunei tactics – we can learn. When the U.S. Marines come here, it’s nice. Come again, we like training with Marines.”
Each day, Marines and RBLF soldiers became more comfortable training and talking with each other. By the end of the training exercise they exchanged e-mail information and different ways to keep in touch.
“The Brunei soldiers are very courteous and have been a pleasure to train with. The experience is a once in a lifetime experience because not everyone gets to go out and train in the jungle,” West said. “Even as Marines, this is a rare chance.”