Marine (Infantry) Training






Marine training

In September 2002, when we were first-year cadets, we trained infantry at the Marine Corps in Sattahip. The aim of this training is to develop leadership and discipline in the naval cadets.

Every morning we ran about 2 km with our own weapons, rifles. After that, we went to class to learn about military tactics and amphibious warfare until 4 pm. Some days we went outdoors to practice making war formations, such as file, used for moving in the jungle, formation, used for moving in the meadow or attacking, and wedge-shaped, used for a fight, practice moving, such as scrambling, levelling and crawling, and practice helicopter transmission. After finishing class, we did exercise and ran around the Marine Corps ground. All of the above was our routine in the Marine Corps for 20 days. We had a chance to jump from a 10 m high tower. Though it wasn't very high, it made us excited.

When we had learned all the tactics, we had to use our knowledge and experience to survive in the forest for about 7 days, such as camping, tracking, practicing individual ditching, shooting a gun, practicing day/night man-to-man battle and 5-sensing (for example: listening for the unusual, distancing lights and feeling the difference).

In the last two days we trained amphibious warfare. One day was used for planning and preparation. The other day, we got in an Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) to land from the sea on the beach and attack the enemy. In an AAV, it was very hot and the air didn't flow, so someone fainted, but everybody must be patient.

After finishing this training course, we got a certificate from the Commandant of the Marine Corps and he said in his speech, "Everybody knows this training is very hard, but if you don't know difficulty, you will never know happiness."



Written by Nabu, November 2005

Last update: Humanities Department, March 2006.   Feedback