U.S. Marines Train with French Marines in Desert (Know ya'll 'll have fun with this)

Defend America News ^ | Capt. Martin Gerst

[SandRat]

U.S. Marines Train with French Marines in Desert
Troops learn how to survive in Africa where temperatures can reach 125 degrees.
By U.S. Air Force Capt. Martin Gerst Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa Public Affairs CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti, Aug. 2, 2006 -- Twenty-five U.S. Marines and one Navy corpsman recently completed a 10-day desert training course conducted by a French Marine regiment from a neighboring camp.  Marines from the 4th Provisional Security Company here were invited by the 5th French Marine Regiment at Briere de L’Isle Barracks to participate in the course.  The goal of the course is to learn basic survival and combat skills in a desert environment. For this type of exercise Djibouti makes a superb training ground, said French Marine Capt. Michel Ladan, chief of the Desert Training School.  The training teaches “simple things like eating, drinking, orienting with GPS, medical evacuation, and fighting in the desert environment,”he said. The course is divided into two parts: acclimation and commando training. In the first portion the lessons included education on desert plants and animals, survival skills, how to find water and how to prepare food to stay alive in the desert. “We learned how to make life a little more comfortable when it's 125 degrees,”said Cpl. Matthew Kang, 4th Provisional Security Company. The commando-training portion of the school included daily 15- to 20-mile foot movements, at night, through the high desert mountains. The Marines traveled with a camel caravan that carried their supplies. They also conducted ambushes and mock raids against suspected enemy forces in manufactured villages. After the acclimation period was over, the platoon stopped eating French Meals Ready to Eat.  “We were only given two goats, some rice and flour to make little pancakes out of each Camel drivers feed their pack animals at the camp of the French Desert Survival Training before an evening trek to the next camp. U.S. Marines and French Marines and Army soldiers marched alongside the camels on hikes through the rough hills of Djibouti. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Roger S. Duncan	U.S. Marine Cpl. Matthew Kang of Torrance, Calif. takes a drink of water from a chilled bottle. Water bottles were sleeved in cloth and hung from trees in the shade. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Roger S. Duncan U.S. Marines from the 4th Provisional Security Company based at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti set up their camp in the morning after a 20-kilometer hike through the night. They learned how to set up camp, make goat jerky and maximize their water resources. U.S. Navy Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Roger S Duncan day.” said Cpl. Emanuel Ramosyajimovich , 4th PSC, “We learned how to kill and skin goats like the locals and then made jerky or cooked them for our meals. “ The French school conducts the course several times each year for their units and, after working with the Marines of 4th PSC on other tasks, extended an invitation to the U.S. forces at Camp Lemonier to attend more of the training camps. Upon graduation the Marines received a certificate and graduation pin presented by the French regimental commander. “We need to better understand our partners in the war on terror,”said Capt. Garth Massey, executive officer, 4th PSC.  “The French Marines trained here will be working in Afghanistan and other parts of Africa, so training with them was a great opportunity to see firsthand how they go about preparing for missions supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. “ “We are looking for more ways to work together.  The school was very well put together and designed to be challenging,”Massey said.  “We hope to be able to send more units in the future.”   “This is the kind of exercise that helps us work more closely, toward our common goal,”Massey said.

[SandRat]

No0w be nice Our MARINES are in this story too.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

I just like your "y'all'll" contraction. Nice!

[tet68]

Ooorah!

Doesn't look like a picnic to me.

When it's 125 degrees, "chilled" could mean any thing up to
80 degrees.

[COBOL2Java]

My Son-in-Law did two tours of duty at Camp Lemonier, but as an Army Soldier, not a Marine. He worked side-by-side with the French Foreign Legion, and said they were a good bunch of soldiers. One photo he sent home was of a HUGE scorpion, which he was (barely) balancing on the back of his hand - my daughter slapped him silly when he returned stateside for THAT stunt! :0)

[Argus]

Something tells me those French MRE's are probably pretty good. And that one of those canteens has vin rouge in it.

[SandRat]

Trust the Legionaires Yes but not the rest.

[jocko12]

How manny white flags do the french carry with them?

[NMR Guy]

French Marine to American Marine: "What?!? You mean white flags don't pop out of you rifles when you fire them???"

[airborne]

Is it red wine or white wine with camel meat?

[SandRat]

Tennesee White-Lightning and lots of it!!!!!!!

[COBOL2Java]

The Complete Military History of France

- Gallic Wars - Lost. In a war whose ending foreshadows the next 2000 years of French history, France is conquered by of all things, an Italian. [Or at ths time in history, a Roman -ed.]

- Hundred Years War - Mostly lost, saved at last by female schizophrenic who inadvertently creates The First Rule of French Warfare; "France's armies are victorious only when not led by a Frenchman." Sainted.

- Italian Wars - Lost. France becomes the first and only country to ever lose two wars when fighting Italians.

- Wars of Religion - France goes 0-5-4 against the Huguenots

- Thirty Years War - France is technically not a participant, but manages to get invaded anyway. Claims a tie on the basis that eventually the other participants started ignoring her.

- War of Revolution - Tied. Frenchmen take to wearing red flowerpots as chapeaux.

- The Dutch War - Tied

- War of the Augsburg League/King William's War/French and Indian War - Lost, but claimed as a tie. Three ties in a row induces deluded Frogophiles the world over to label the period as the height of French military power.

- War of the Spanish Succession - Lost. The War also gave the French their first taste of a Marlborough, which they have loved every since.

- American Revolution - In a move that will become quite familiar to future Americans, France claims a win even though the English colonists saw far more action. This is later known as "de Gaulle Syndrome", and leads to the Second Rule of French Warfare; "France only wins when America does most of the fighting."

- French Revolution - Won, primarily due the fact that the opponent was also French.

- The Napoleonic Wars - Lost. Temporary victories (remember the First Rule!) due to leadership of a Corsican, who ended up being no match for a British footwear designer.

- The Franco-Prussian War - Lost. Germany first plays the role of drunk Frat boy to France's ugly girl home alone on a Saturday night.

- World War I - Tied and on the way to losing, France is saved by the United States [Entering the war late -ed.]. Thousands of French women find out what it's like to not only sleep with a winner, but one who doesn't call her "Fraulein." Sadly, widespread use of condoms by American forces forestalls any improvement in the French bloodline.

- World War II - Lost. Conquered French liberated by the United States and Britain just as they finish learning the Horst Wessel Song.

- War in Indochina - Lost. French forces plead sickness; take to bed with the Dien Bien Flu

- Algerian Rebellion - Lost. Loss marks the first defeat of a western army by a Non-Turkic Muslim force since the Crusades, and produces the First Rule of Muslim Warfare; "We can always beat the French." This rule is identical to the First Rules of the Italians, Russians, Germans, English, Dutch, Spanish, Vietnamese and Esquimaux.

- War on Terrorism - France, keeping in mind its recent history, surrenders to Germans and Muslims just to be safe. Attempts to surrender to Vietnamese ambassador fail after he takes refuge in a McDonald's.

The question for any country silly enough to count on the French should not be "Can we count on the French?", but rather "How long until France collapses?"

"Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without an accordion. All you do is leave behind a lot of noisy baggage."

Or, better still, the quote from last week's Wall Street Journal: "They're there when they need you."

[JRandomFreeper]

Red wine with camel meat. And goat meat. Really. I'm a culinary professional, and I wouldn't lie to you about something like that...

In fact, I prefer a cotes du rhone with goat.

/johnny

[airborne]

So, it's red wine during dinner and a mason jar of moonshine for after.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Give 'em their props, these French Marines are probably some tough hombres (or it that hommes). Think of the USMC if Hillary gets elected. Suck ass foreign policy but outstanding armed forces.

[Fatuncle]

The French Foreign Legion are damned good soldiers.

[JRandomFreeper]

With a (soon to be released) Free Cuba Ceegar(tm). And hand-dipped chocolate truffles and 40 year old port.

/johnny

[SandRat]

That's Elderberry home squeez'ns if you please.

[ops33]

You know, I quit smoking 30 years ago but I just might have one of dem cee-gars!

[satan]

Reminds me of the story of the French Lieutenant who asked the men at the outpost what they did for "recreation". Reply was that we use the old camel behind the sand dune. Do you know the rest of the story?