The majority of the BLT Marines joined the unit shortly before last Thanksgiving, as part of the Marine Corps cohesion program. In January we deployed in Combined Arms 3-01, said Greenwood. That was really the first intensive training block that they had until now. We provide the security element that basically provides protection for them when they do their direct action mission, said Greenwood. We don't sleep many nights at all just because of the amount of training we do, said Greenwood.
Sleep sometimes takes a back seat.
They go above and beyond some of the conventional operations we normally train for and that's exciting for the young Marines who have decided to serve their country. It gives them a chance to train for 12 days and have a lot of fun. W. Va. Instead of training in a swampy area such as Camp Lejeune, we're in a wooded area such as A.P. Hill. This is the type of terrain where it's key for them to go out and do the patrolling, the dispersion of their forces, and shooting and movement. Marines that live in squad bays tend to bond together, said Tomko.