FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- U.S. Marines from 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines, out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., were at the U.S. Army National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., May 5 - 24 as part of a cross-service training exercise aimed at giving U.S. service members a chance to learn realistic, desert combat training skills.
"Cross-service training allows service members to enhance their battle skills and develop leadership experience," said Marine Staff Sgt. Rodger Hoke Jr., a machine section leader from Mechanicsburgh, Pa.
Another reason cross-service training is important, Hoke said, is that during war situations, there is no distinction as to which service a person is in.
The cross training helped most of the young Marines in his unit develop into better Marines, because before coming to NTC, they had no prior realistic battle experiences, Hoke added.
"Back at Lejeune, we didn't get a chance to do these live and interactive training," said Lance Cpl. Paul Monaco, an infantryman with the 2nd Bn., 25th Marines "The training here was hands-on, so I was able to learn a lot."
Training the "Devil Dogs" received at Fort Irwin was composed of rough terrain warfare and interactive mock battles, in which they had to deal with a large mechanized force.
A less subtle but equally important training for the visiting Marines was the desert heat NTC soldiers often have to deal with. In late spring, the temperature can be as high as 97 degrees Fahrenheit with no humidity - a change for most of the Marines.
"I don't think I got used to the air here. We used to sweat gallons [of sweat] back home, but we didn't really sweat here. So we couldn't really feel the immediate impact of the heat," said Cpl. John O'Brien, an infantryman.
"The air was really thin here and the wind never stopped blowing," said O'Brien, of Shwenksville, Pa. "It was also weird to be able to see at night when we were told there was zero visibility. Back home, zero visibility meant we couldn't even see the guy in front."
Another change the Marines had to deal with was the rank structure. At NTC, ranks on Army desert uniforms are worn on the right pocket, which made it difficult for the Marines to identify.
"I walked around and didn't know who to salute because I couldn't see the rank," said Lance Cpl. Matthew Grol, a van driver. "That, and I didn't know what to call people over staff sergeant rank. So I just called them 'sergeant.'"
But amidst the confusion in rank, the blowing wind and the thin high desert air, the Marines also learned one of the most important skills of all - interacting with other service members.
"I don't think any of us knew what to expect before we came here," Monaco said. "But after spending two weeks here, we realized you soldiers aren't any different than us. In the end, I think everyone was impressed with one another. You soldiers are 'good to go.'"
Whether it's the Marine Corps' slang of 'good to go' or the Army's slang of 'squared away,' one thing is for sure - the NTC experience will stay with the 2nd Bn., 25th Marines for years to come, as it does and will continue to do with the nearly 50,000 soldiers who come through NTC each year.