MCRD San Diego -- In the midst of a chaotic combat environment, Marines must be able to trust that they will be able to push through pain and fatigue, engage the enemy and complete the mission. Chaos, pain and fatigue is first introduced to a Marine when he is a recruit during recruit training.
Company H, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, experienced a close-combat environment through the Combat Conditioning Exercise Aug. 1 aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
The purpose of the CCX is to reiterate all Marine Corps Martial Arts Program techniques they have learned and to be able to apply them correctly and effectively while in a chaotic environment.
“The course builds strength and endurance as well as allowing recruits to execute proper MCMAP techniques,” said Staff Sgt. Jason Lansdon, martial arts instructor trainer, Instructional Training Company, Support Battalion. “We want them to be able to react to situations presented to them and be able to fight through.”
Three whistle blasts indicates the start of the course. Recruits are split up into groups, led by a drill instructor, to different stations. Whatever the station may be -- break falls, lead-hand punches, knee strikes, leg-sweeps, combat rolls -- recruits are expected to perform them properly while drill instructors correct them, until the next whistle blast.
“Each station is 90 seconds long,” explained Lansdon, a 29-year-old Phoenix native. “After each station, they do a transition exercise to the next.”
Transition exercises include lunges, star-jumpers, fireman’s carry, buddy drags, low and high crawls, and the buddy bear crawl.
“Recruits always seem to have the hardest time with the transitions,” said Lansdon. “Once they’ve gone through 90 seconds of MCMAP techniques, they then have to face 90 more seconds of a transition that is there to physically and mentally wear them out; they have to be able to push through it”
The stress caused during the CCX allows recruits to start building a combat mindset.
“We want to teach them that they can quickly and confidently react in a stressful environment, no matter how exhausted they are,” said Lansdon.
With sweat dripping from their brow, Co. H recruits push through, performing techniques and executing carries and drags.
“The entire course is a challenge,” said Recruit Brandon Cruz, Platoon 2161, Co. H. “It really pushes our endurance levels and our minds to not give up.”
Cruz explained that although combat conditioning gives recruits a better understanding of the fundamentals of MCMAP, it really focuses on building up endurance, a never quit attitude and gives them an idea of what it’s like to be under that kind of stress.
“The buddy drags and carries really gives you a perspective of what it’d be like to carry someone while you’re tired,” explained Cruz, a 17-year-old Monterey Calif. native. “It also stresses the importance of learning the carries, because you never want to leave a Marine behind.”
Through stress and pain, the recruits of Co. H gain confidence in themselves that they’ll be able to perform through a stressful environment.
“That’s what the purpose of training is,” said Cruz. “To never give up and continue to push through.”