MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Marines from Combat Logistics Company 36, Combat Logistics Regiments 35 and 37 arrived at Camp Fuji, Japan, by way of a High Speed Vessel for Forest Light, a training exercise teaching advanced cold weather infantry tactics Feb. 27.
CLC-36, CLR-35 and CLR-37 Marines departed Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni to teach Japanese Ground Self Defense Forces cold weather infantry tactics. The Marines trained for weeks prior to joining the JGSDF in exercise Forest Light, a semi-annual training exercise in Hokkaido.
Due to unfavorable sea conditions, the HSV could not proceed to the planned training grounds. The Marines quickly adapted to the situation, constructed a plan and traveled to the Combined Arms Training Center at Camp Fuji to complete their mission.
“We experienced some issues with transportation up to Hokkaido, however we are still able to complete the platoon and company-level training which we were hoping to accomplish,” said Capt. Charles R. Johnston, CLC-36 executive officer.
A different training schedule was put into effect based on the training originally planned in Hokkaido.
“This new training program will be more Marine Corps oriented, whereas in Hokkaido it would have been based around a give-and-take method where the JGSDF teach us and we teach them our tactics,” said Johnston. “On the other side, we will be able to show these Marines a different side of the Marine Corps and allow them to do things they see in movies and the newspaper.”
The training slated for these Marines will incorporate much of the training they have been doing throughout the past weeks.
“We set up the new training schedule to make sure Marines who have been training hard toward this particular type of exercise don’t allow their new skill set to go to waste,” said Johnston.
The Marines of CLC-36, CLR-35 and CLR-37 have been working toward a main objective of using platoon-size movements in support of a company-size element attacking an objective.
“Our main mission is to get these Marines some great training which they may never get to experience again,” said Gunnery Sgt. Shawn Lawson, CLC-36 maintenance chief. “These Marines usually work in warehouses and garages. Now they are all working together in armories, motor pools and, most importantly, the field.”
The training and classes they received based around an infantry platoon helped to perfect their skills.
“We have land navigation, communication classes, platoon and company size movements, and a machine gun live fire range along with more infantry-based training scheduled for these Marines,” said Lawson.
The Marines of CLC-36, CLR-35 and CLR- 37 are each expected to perform platoonsized movements to support their combined company during the duration of the exercise which will train these Marines in extreme cold weather tactics and deliver an opportunity many Marines never see._c9