CAMP GONSALVES, OKINAWA, Japan -- With hands tightly clenching a black rappel rope, a Marine’s stomach churns uneasily and sweat beads on his face. Peering over the edge, he begins his descent down a high, steep cliff.
Marines with units across III Marine Expeditionary Force participated in a “cliff day” June 17 at the Jungle Warfare Training Center, Camp Gonsalves.
The training consisted of cliff rappelling, fast-rope rappelling, and a three-strand rope bridge crossing as part of the six-day Jungle Skills Course.
“We are operating a lot here in the Pacific,” said Sgt. Caleb A. Maclagan, an instructor with JWTC, Camp Gonsalves, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Marine Corps Installations Pacific. “We are ramping up the jungle training because the past 12 years or so we have been focused on desert (training). Rappelling off a 65-foot cliff builds confidence, and I learned that Marines will push themselves to achieve new skills.”
The day included several periods of instruction on rope management, rope tying, cliff rappelling, hasty rappelling, and rope-bridge crossing.
The hasty rappel was considered the most important event because it is what Marines are most likely to encounter in an operational environment, according to Maclagan, a Rehoboth, Massachusetts, native.
“Everything we did today was a learning experience,” said Sgt. Terrence A. McMillian, a low altitude air defense gunner with 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, currently assigned to Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 18, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III MEF, under the unit deployment program. “From the rappelling, learning how to tie the different knots, and the hasty rappelling – I can only hope that I retain the knowledge.”
The Marines with 3rd LAAD were able to work alongside Marines with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, who are currently assigned to 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III MEF, under the unit deployment program.
“Marines with UDP can be pulled anywhere, so they always have to be ready for any scenario,” said Cpl. Paul J. Oltman, a Pleasant Plains, Illinois, native and personnel chief with the battalion. “I will take back the basic jungle warfare skills, teach other Marines, and pass on the knowledge I’ve learned.”
Along with learning new skills from this training, The Marines also incorporated many of the Marine Corps’ core values.
“The big one would be courage,” said McMillian, a Killeen, Texas, native. “You have to have courage to even attempt it. If you can gain that physical and moral courage to attempt the events then you’re golden.”
With the training complete and leadership and core-value skills sharpened, the students left confident in the skills that they were taught, according to 1st Lt. Traver Mayfield, a platoon commander with the battalion.
“It’s all about having initiative and courage and all these leadership traits we are taught about,” said Mayfield, a Triangle, Virginia, native. “When you’re up on the cliff wall you have to commit, you have to take that step (to complete the mission).”