— par- ticu-
larly our ground- based includ- ing the
Servicemembers train at the Army’s Jungle Operations Training Center (JOTC) in Hawaii and the Marine Corps’ Jungle Warfare Training Center (JWTC) in Japan. Training can include, clockwise from far left, a six-hour endurance course at the JWTC; a tactical insertion at the JOTC; prepara- tion for another day at the JOTC; climbing a wall (after emerging from a river) at the JWTC; a ruck march at the JOTC; and building a field-expedient stretcher for a simulated casualty at the JWTC.
and rappelling, fi rst aid, and setting booby traps. Students negotiate doz- ens of obstacles, representing both physical and mental challenges, on a lengthy endurance course that winds through partially fl ooded tunnels and dense vegetation, down cliff s, and over waterways, culminating with a mile-long stretcher carry. “Since the drawdown of forces
in Iraq and Afghanistan, JWTC has seen an increase in the number of personnel that come through,” says 1st Lt. Sean Fergerson, USMC, op- erations offi cer. “The pivot to the Pacifi c places a greater emphasis on the training that we provide.” According to Cmdr. Dave Benham,
USN, a spokesperson for U.S. Pacifi c Command (PACOM), approximately 380,000 servicemembers and DoD civilians are defending America’s in- terests in the Asia-Pacifi c region. PACOM “is tasked with being
ready to fi ght tonight, anywhere in our area of responsibility,” he says. This readiness crosses all domains, services, and environments, including
the jungle. “To that end, our forces — particularly our ground-based compo- nents — have dedicated eff orts to train for operating in such an environment. Such training pays dividends both in readiness to conduct jungle warfare and also in supporting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief opera- tions in tropical environments.” In response to the rebalance, the
Army’s 25th Infantry Division (ID) re- opened its Jungle Operations Training Center at Schofi eld Barracks, Hawaii, in 2013. (The center originally opened in 1953 but closed in 1999.) “Our current program is tailored to individuals,” says Capt. Matthew Jones, USA, offi cer in charge at the 25th’s Lightning Academy, a training institution within the 25th ID that houses the JOTC and is dedicated to developing critical-thinking skills. “The fi rst week is dedicated to indi- vidual skills: medicine in the jungle, jungle mobility, waterborne opera- tions, tracking, and then an intro to survival. The second week is focused on how to operate in the jungle. Then,
IMAGES: CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT, PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS CHRIS FAHEY, USN; STAFF SGT. CHRIS HUBENTHAL, USAF; STAFF SGT. CHRIS HUBENTHAL, USAF; CPL. HENRY ANTENOR, USMC; STAFF SGT. CHRIS HUBENTHAL, USAF; LANCE CPL. DIAMOND N. PEDEN, USMC; IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM; SHUTTERSTOCK. PREVIOUS SPREAD, CPL. SAMANTHA VILLARREAL, USMC
fi nally, our third week is all about pa- trolling in the jungle, using the skills you learned in the fi rst two weeks.” According to Staff Sgt. Jeff Bermudez, USA, a JOTC instructor, most students don’t realize what they’re in for. “The jungle is a harsh environment that requires you to be physically … and mentally fi t in order to survive and be able to fi ght and win there,” he says. “The vegetation is so thick and so tall that visibility is reduced and movement ability is reduced signifi - cantly,” says Sgt. 1st Class Grover Muirheive, USA, senior instructor at the Lightning Academy. “It may take you all day to move a kilometer,” adds Lt. Col. Rob Phillips, USA, a public aff airs offi cer with the 25th ID. Conditions often disrupt GPS signals, making com- munications a struggle. “A compass, a map, and a stubby pencil are prob- ably better in this environment than one of the high-speed, ‘whiz-bang’ pieces of technology.”
[CONTINUES ON PAGE 70] FEBRUARY 2017 MILITARY OFFICER 57
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