MARINE AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER, TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- Marines with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment completed the Battalion Assault Course during Integrated Training Exercise 1-16 aboard Marine Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Nov. 9-11, 2015.
“The Battalion Assault Course is a test for the battalion, showing that they are able to conduct continuous operations and follow-on missions,” said Cpl. Jason Trent, a squad leader with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment. “My squad’s responsibility was to hold the mountainside during the defense. There was an area about three-hundred meters away off to our right-hand side that the enemy was able to come through. As soon as they came into the open we were able to engage with our weapons systems.”
As the culminating event of ITX, the BAC consisted of an initial assault, a 36-hour defense and a counter attack. The exercise calls on support from the air, ground and logistics combat elements, utilizing the full abilities of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force to complete the training objectives.
“I think my squad as a whole did really well,” said Trent. “We got the rocket shots off successfully and both hit their targets. We had good communication, ammo was getting passed around, and [ammunition, casualty, equipment] reports were flowing. I think we were on point.”
The battalion conducted a wide variety of exercises throughout ITX to prepare for their upcoming deployment to Southeast Asia as part of the Unit Deployment Program.
“I love it out here,” said Trent. “You get to do more here than you could ever do at Camp Lejeune. We have a broader scope of things that we can do out here. To be able to come out here and in my opinion train at a higher level and do more complex attacks and complex missions, it doesn’t just keep us ready, it boost our readiness.”